Louisiana Purchase
by AgentOstrovich
Summary: John Winchester takes -Dean (17), Sam (15), and Kellie (10)-to the deep south of Louisiana to investigate a string of murders. Life in the south is very different, and the Winchester kids may have to learn that the hard way. Spanking will be in later chapters. If you don't like; don't read. Same AU as "Supernatural Sister".
1. Chapter 1

This is a new story, and I think it is going to be good. The ideas have been rolling around in my head for several days now, and I finally got a chance to begin writing. This follows the same AU as "Supernatural Sister", and there will be spanking in later chapters. Please review. All flames will be ignored and deleted.

Chapter 1

The Winchester family had just recently moved to a new town in the deep south of Louisiana. There was some real hoo-doo going on, and John Winchester was sure that it was his kind of thing. He loaded up himself and his three kids-Dean, Sam, and Kellie- and hit the road within twenty-four hours of hearing about the two murders. As usual, he gave no consideration to what was happening in the lives of each of his children, and fully expected them packed and ready to leave as soon as he gave the order. It was not really that he didn't care about their feelings; but duty was calling. He had to get to the crime scenes before someone else had to give their life to whatever monster was terrorizing the community. Dean was not really excited about moving, but he knew that questioning his dad's decision would only lead to trouble, and Dean tried to avoid trouble with dad at almost any cost. Besides, he had learned many years ago that Dad's orders were meant to be obeyed and not questioned. Sam, however, never seemed to learn that rule, and if he learned it; he usually chose to break it, or at least bend it. He immediately began questioning, "Dad, Really? You've got to be kidding? Why?"

John replied, "Samuel, I don't have time for your childish whining! So just shut your mouth and start packing!"

"But, Dad, I've got the science bowl on Thursday, and I was supposed to help tutor Ron on Friday. It never fails, as soon as I get accepted into a new school and make a few friends, you storm in and ruin it! I'm tired of this!"

Sam's Dad, without making a sound, walked over into Sam's personal space and glared down at his rebellious son. Without batting an eye, he hissed, "Samuel! I told you to shut your mouth and start packing! I will not repeat that order again. If you so much as make a peep, I will have you across my knee faster than you can blink an eye. Do I make myself clear?"

Sam took a deep breath and quietly said, "Yes. Sir." He wanted to just stare back at his father and say nothing since his dad had said not to make a peep, but he had a little common sense and self-preservation. He turned and walked toward his room.

Kellie was just sitting there watching the interactions between her father and her brothers. Her family was so predictable; the exact same scenario played out every time it was time to move. She could almost quote the conversations by heart before the first word was ever spoken. She didn't understand why Sam always copped this attitude and argument with Daddy; he had to know that he would never win the battle. It always ended with Sam either packing like Dad told him to, or packing like Dad told him to with tear-rimmed eyes and a sore backside. Finally, Dad noticed Kellie just sitting there, and he said, "Kellie? Are you going to sit here all night just staring into space?"

"Oh, No Sir. Sorry, I'm going."

Kellie then headed towards her room. She was going to miss this house that Dad had rented two months ago. Here she had her own room, and a really nice teacher at school. Here there was a park close enough to the house that Dean or Sam would usually take her and let her play for a while after school, and there was a really nice family who lived across the street who would let their daughter play with her in the front yard sometimes. Here Dean had hung a rope with a flat piece of wood attached to it in the tree in the back yard, and he or Sam would push her really high until she squealed with fear and excitement. Here she felt almost normal, but she knew that it wouldn't last long, and now it was time to leave. She could hear Dean and Sam talking in their room having the exact conversation they always had while they were packing to leave. She could hear Dean say, "Sammy, why can't you just do what Dad says? Why do you always have to get in a fight first? You know that Dad always wins in the end."

"I know, Dean, but I hate the way he just comes in here and orders us around. He doesn't take anything that we are doing into account. You would think he could just ask us at least! But no, it's just do it now or else. I get tired of it, Dean."

"I know, Sam. I know. I feel the same way, but it doesn't do any good to argue with him. You know that. You need to just do what he says; it makes it easier on everyone."

"I know you're right, but it's just so hard."

"Yeah, I know little brother. Come on; get packed. He'll be ready to leave soon, and you don't want to be late."

Less than an hour later, the Winchester family was on their way to Louisiana not knowing that their life was about to radically change.


	2. Chapter 2

Louisiana Purchase: Chapter 2

Dean Winchester drove carefully; following John Winchester's pick-up down the interstate toward Louisiana. He had Metallica playing, but he was careful to keep a safe distance between him and the truck in front of him. He knew that if he wasn't careful, or that if his dad noticed him being inattentive while driving, he would definitely hear about it at their next stop. John Winchester was never hesitant to remind him that he was responsible for the lives of those inside and outside of his car. Dean might gun the engine or drive a little fast when John wasn't around, but never when he could be seen by the meticulous eyes of his father.

Kellie was asleep in the back seat after finishing the latest Hardy Boys book that she had been reading. She loved to read, and the mysteries were her favorite. She always kept her pillow and blanket in the back seat of the Impala so that she could lean against the back door and nap whenever she got sleepy. She often wondered how many miles she had actually travelled in that Impala during the ten years of her life. She was at ease with her brothers as they traveled the roads together. She loved the way that they laughed, and joked, and sang. She could sit in that back seat and listen to the boys banter back and forth for hours on end. There was a comfortable serenity that enveloped her during these cross-country trips. She was glad that Dean and Sam always tried to include her in their conversations. There was no doubt that Dean and Sam were her heroes in this life.

As usual, Sam was riding shot-gun. It was his responsibility to keep Dean awake and alert. Dad always reminded him before they began traveling to "keep an eye on Dean". Sam knew that Dean was more than capable of driving; in fact, Dean was one of the best drivers that Sam knew, but Sam tried to do his task faithfully. Sam loved it when Dean would get really into the music playing and begin to sing. Sam would always come in on the chorus singing the harmony part, and pretty soon they would be laughing and howling at the top of their lungs. To Sam, this was the best part about traveling, just being in the car with Dean and Kellie. This was what family was all about.

It wasn't much longer, and Dean noticed his dad signal to exit the interstate. He followed as John pulled into an Exxon and parked to the far side of the lot. His dad got out of the truck and walked back to the Impala as Dean rolled down his window waiting to hear what dad was going to tell them.

"Ok, kids, the house that I have rented for us is about five miles up the road. Keep an eye out for my signal. We will be turning left onto a dirt road and going another couple of miles. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Dad, do we need to get any supplies before we go there?", asked Dean.

"No, we'll go get settled and then one of us can come back later."

As Dad pulled out of the driveway, Dean carefully closed his window and followed John. He couldn't help but wonder what this new house was going to be like. Dad must figure we are going to be here for a while since he didn't just rent a motel room for a few nights. All of the Winchester kids had loved the house that they had just recently left. There had been neighbors and a nice yard for the boys to play football; they had put up a basketball hoop, and Dean had hung a really cool tree swing on a limb of the big Oak Tree in the backyard. Kellie loved to swing on that, and to tell the truth, so did Sam and Dean. Oh well, there was no use crying over spilt milk as this point. Besides, maybe this house would be even better. Dean saw his dad signal with his left blinker and turn onto the dirt road, and he did the same.

Kellie was now awake and filled with anticipation to see the new house where they would be living. It was obvious that Sam was also looking forward to see their new house as well, because he straightened up in his seat and peered anxiously out of the windshield. The house where they would be was very important to each of them because they spent a lot of time there usually. Dad could be gone for two weeks at a time, and it was up to them to keep everything running smoothly and keep a low profile. John always warned them to "stay under the radar" because if they brought attention to themselves bad things could happen. It was important that DSS never become interested in the Winchesters, because they may try to take them away from dad and separate them from each other. None of them would ever be able to survive that devastation.

Finally, Dean noticed dad pull over and come to a stop. They looked out of the window at their new house. Surely, there must be some mistake! This could not be the house where they would live the next little while. Surely, dad wasn't serious. All they could do was sit and stare at the primitive-looking building that sat in the middle of nowhere.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dean and Sam slid out of the Impala and stared at the sight before them. The house would be better called a shack. There were boards missing on the porch as well as holes in the roof. There were shutters that were missing, and the ones that were beside the windows were barely attached. The boys could only imagine what the inside looked like, but before discovering that, they looked around the outside of the house. It was obvious that no one had taken care of the yard any time recently. There were thorns and thistles amidst the knee-high grass surrounded by a dilapidated chain-link fence; the gate hung haphazardly on its hinges. There were no neighbors within sight, and the house was surrounded by huge trees that completely blocked any view whatsoever. Dean thought that this had to be some kind of joke that Dad was playing; surely, he did not expect them to live here. He looked intently at his dad trying to get some sense of what he was thinking, but dad didn't seem to be thinking anything at all. He was going about business as usual as he unloaded the duffel bags and supplies. Taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh, Dean looked at Sam and Kellie and shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, let's go take a look."

They followed dad up the rickety steps and into the front door. What they saw as they entered the building once again caused waves of disbelief. There was only one large room that contained a small kitchen with shelves and a small table and chairs to the right; a large, lumpy couch covered with a blanket and an over-stuffed chair in the center of the room in front of a fireplace, and a twin-bed and dresser to the left. There was a ladder that led up to a small loft that was less than half the size of the large room. They would later discover that there was a door in the left side of the room that led to a very small bathroom that was basically the size of a closet that contained a shower, pedestal sink, and a toilet. There was barely room to turn around. That was it, and the kids were shocked.

Dad spoke up, "I know it's not much to look at, but it has real potential, and it was a great price! I figured that this would be a great project that you all could work on after school and on weekends. I know how bored you get sometimes when I'm gone for a while, and this will keep you from having idle hands for too long. So what do you think?"

Dean looked at Sam and then Kellie before speaking, "Well Dad, it's different that we imagined that it would be. Where are we supposed to sleep?"

"Oh that's a great thing! Climb up the ladder and look around?"

Dean, Sam, and Kellie looked at each other again, and began to climb the ladder one behind the other. When they arrived at the top of the ladder, they looked around at the single space where they were to sleep. There were the three air mattresses that they used while camping lined up along the floor. Two mattresses were on the left side, and one to the right. There was a clothes-line with a blanket hung over it to separate the mattresses from each other. That was the totality of their new bedroom. Sam and Dean couldn't even stand up straight without bumping their heads on the ceiling; they stood hunched over and looked around at each other disbelief showing in all of their eyes. They had stayed in some pretty cheap motels in the past, but this had to be the worst. What in the world was dad thinking?

They returned to the main room of the house and stood silently. John looked at them and said, "Isn't it great? It will be like you are at a camp-out every night, but without the bugs and stars! I tell you all this was a great deal. I know you're going to love it here! Well, I'm going to head back to town and get the supplies we need. You guys can get things unpacked and get settled in. Don't forget to take care of the salt lines and warding, and then I saw a couple of cans of spaghetti that you can heat up for our dinner. Be back in a while. Enjoy your home sweet home."

After John had left, Dean and Sam plopped themselves down on the old couch and laid their heads back on the cushion. They were still shocked at this turn of events. Their dad actually thought this was a great location, and he expected them to love it. There was no television, no place to play basketball or football, and no real bedroom. On top of that, Dad expected them to do the repairs while he was gone on the hunts. This place looked like it could be a breeding ground for monsters of many kinds, not to mention everyday crazy humans. After all that they had seen, they could imagine all kinds of nightmares occurring in this house.

Finally coming to terms with the fact that this was going to be their dwelling place for the next while, the kids proceeded to do their usual chores. They all went to the car and got their duffle bags, pillows, and blankets. They also got the things that they personally held valuable. Sam got his laptop, though it was doubtful that there was any internet service out in this wilderness. Dean got his collection of magazines, and Kellie brought in her stuffed bear and a couple of books. After placing their things in separate piles in the loft, they went to do the other jobs on their list. Dean began putting salt around the perimeter of the house as well as on each window sill and door. Sam began drawing devil's traps and warding symbols under rugs, on walls, and on ceilings throughout the house. Kellie found a pot on the shelves in the kitchen, but she couldn't find a can opener anywhere to open the cans of spaghetti. She went and found Sam. "Sam, I can't find a can opener. Do you think you could open these cans of spaghetti?"

"Sure, just give me a minute." Sam pulled out his large hunting knife that he always kept on his belt and proceeded to puncture and open the cans for Kellie.

The kids had just got all of their chores finished, when dad returned with the groceries and supplies. They quickly ran outside to help him bring the items in and get them put away. Then they sat down at the small table, and on the couch and chair and ate the canned spaghetti. After dinner, they cleared the table, and Dean and Sam washed, dried, and put away the plates, forks, and glasses; while, Kellie swept the floor and wiped down the table and stove. These chores had become so routine now, that none of them even hesitated with what they were supposed to do. One thing that could be said about John Winchester was that he certainly ran an efficient and well-maintained household. He believed that routine and discipline were two of the pillars of good citizenship, and he made sure that his children had those strong foundations.

Dean walked over to dad and said, "We are done with the chores and ready for our physical training. Where do you want us to run at this house?"

"Let's see, guys. The dirt driveway is about 2 miles. Why don't you run to the road and back to the house. That would be a good distance for you. You can do the rest of your training in the front yard. After you're finished you need to get quick showers and get ready for bed. We have to get up early in the morning because we need to get you registered at your new school. We sure don't want to bring attention to ourselves by missing too much school."

"Yes, Sir."

Dean couldn't help but wonder about the new school. He always hated starting a new school and being the new kid, but he always kept his feelings hidden behind a mask of indifference and a bad-boy attitude. It made most of the girl swoon, which suited Dean just fine, and the teachers usually figured he wasn't worth the effort and left him alone in the back of the classroom. Dean had it down to a science almost, and he was sure it wouldn't be any different in this southern hick town.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I have used names of people and places that are common to Louisiana. However, please know that this story in no way reflects upon any specific person or place in Louisiana. This is purely a work of fiction.

Chapter 4

Dean sat in the car and waited while his dad registered Kellie and then Sam at their respective schools. He couldn't believe that there was only one elementary, middle, and high school in the whole parish. The buildings were all located on the one campus with a sidewalk leading from one building to the others. He had tried to talk his dad into just letting him quit school now that he was sixteen, but dad had quickly nixed that idea. He hoped that there were at least a few hot girls in this run-down, backwoods school. He would be able to survive the boredom of school if he could find some girls to keep entertained. It was not so much that Dean hated school, as much as he felt like it was such a waste of his time. He would much rather be training, or cleaning the weapons, or hunting with dad. He didn't know why dad couldn't understand how he felt.

Dad returned to the car and said, "I think this is going to be a good school. They seem to really have things under control. I think this place will be good for you, Dean."

"Really? What makes you think that?" asked Dean.

"I don't know. It's just a gut feeling, I guess."

"Oh. We'll see, I guess."

"Now, Dean, you know what I expect. There better be no trouble from you, young man. You have to keep off of everyone's radar."

"Yea, Dad, I know," he said rolling his eyes.

"Dean, watch the attitude."

"Yes, Sir." Dean couldn't believe he had to hear this every time they started a new school. He was sixteen, for goodness sake; he knew the drill. There was one thing about it; dad was thorough in everything that he did.

As they pulled into the nearest parking space, Dean felt that all-too-familiar feeling of nerves enter his body. His heart raced, his palms sweated, and his stomach turned. He really hated this, much more than he wanted to admit. Being ushered down the hallway by the guidance counselor trying to make small-talk, standing in the front of the room while he was introduced to the teacher, thirty pairs of eyes staring him down while assessing his every move, all of these events made Dean nervous. So Dean did what he always did when faced with an uncomfortable situation; he squared back his shoulders, put on his infamous smirk, and strutted across the parking lot and up the stairs into the school. No one would see how vulnerable he really felt.

He followed his dad into the school office and sank into the nearest chair making sure he had on his most "I don't care" attitude as John walked up to the counter.

"Excuse me, I'm John Winchester. I'm here to register my son for school."

"Oh, Wonderful! I am Mrs. Pascal", exclaimed a petite, middle-aged woman with glasses. "You will love it here. Just let me get the paperwork, and we can all go into the conference room and get this started."

John turned and looked at Dean with a jerk of his head, letting him know that he expected him to come and stand respectfully beside of him. Dean meandered over to his dad with as much attitude as he dare exhibit in front of him. John glared at Dean, reminding him that he better behave with that one look. It was always amazing how easily dad could convey his meanings to Dean without ever uttering the first word.

"Okay, Mr. Winchester, if you and your son would follow me? What did you say his name was again?"

"My name is Dean," he quickly replied before his dad could answer for him. Didn't this lady know he could speak for himself; he wasn't a kid.

"Well, Dean. It is so nice to meet you. You are going to love going to Beauregard High School. It is the best school in all of our great state of Louisiana."

All the while, John and Dean were led back to a small conference room. It was obvious that someone had worked very hard to make this room look very cozy and home-like. There were three very nice chairs with floor lamps between them. The room was painted a very warm green, and there were two floral paintings that hung on the walls. There was something in the room that smelled like apple pie, and there was very soft music playing in the background. There was also a beautiful cherry-finished table that sat off to the side with padded chairs around it.

Mrs. Pascal led them to the table and took a seat. "Ok, Mr. Winchester, if you could just fill out this form. I will talk to Dean about his interests. That is part of what makes Beauregard such a great school; we interview the students, and then help them choose their class schedule based on their strengths and interests."

As John completed the form, Mrs. Pascal said, "Dean, first of all, we want you to know that we are so glad that you are here. I have just a couple of questions for you, and it is very important that you answer honestly because you are going to be the one going to school here. Your answers to these few questions will help our student ambassadors choose the right schedule for you. First, would you consider yourself a morning person or a night owl?"

Dean just looked at her. He had never had anything like this at any other school that he had attended, and he had gone to a lot of schools. Well, ok, he would play along. "Ummm, probably a morning person." He didn't bother to tell her that it was because his dad required a strict bedtime and had them up by five every morning. There was no reason to go into all of the details of his life.

"Oh Wonderful! Next, what kind of learner do you consider yourself—a visual learner, an auditory learner, or a kinesthetic learner?"

"What does that last one mean?"

"Oh, kinesthetic? That means you learn best by doing things. You like to do things with your hands."

Dean thought for a moment. "Yes, that would be the one, kinesthetic, definitely."

Mrs. Pascal smiled great big and said, "Oh Wonderful! Next, do you prefer reading, math, or music?"

Dean quickly answered this one without a moment's hesitation, "Music".

"Oh Wonderful."

Dean wondered how many times that Mrs. Pascal said "Oh Wonderful" in a day.

"Okay, Dean, which musical instrument do you prefer: piano, violin, or trumpet?"

Now this question really took Dean by surprise. He had never really thought about it before. He liked classic rock, and so he thought about guitar or drums, but not pianos, violins, and trumpets. Finally, he said, "I don't really know. Can't I pick something else? I don't really prefer any of those."

"No, I'm afraid not, Dean. You need to pick one of these."

Then Dean thought for a couple of minutes, and he said, "Probably trumpet."

"Oh Wonderful! Ok, final question. Dean, what career do you hope to pursue in life?"

This question posed a real challenge for Dean. First of all, he had never thought about a career for himself. It was just always assumed that he would follow his dad into the family business. Secondly, he couldn't just tell this lady that he was going to be a hunter of ghosts and monsters and other unimaginable creatures. What in the world could he answer that wouldn't completely freak this poor innocent woman into a heart attack? Finally, he said, "Well, I really like cars—classic cars. So maybe I could do something with that."

Dean knew what Mrs. Pascal would say before she ever opened her mouth, "Oh Wonderful! Thank you, Dean. I will get these to the ambassador's office as soon as possible. They should have your schedule by the end of the week."

"Wait. End of the week? What am I supposed to do until then? What classes will I go to for the other days this week?" Dean questioned.

"Well, there are some things that you and your father will need to take care of before you actually start attending Beauregard. This will give you time to go and purchase your school uniform and required supplies. Also, you will have time to read and discuss the school handbook, and then sign the required contract. Also, a full physical is required by a doctor to make sure that all of your vaccines and boosters are up-to-date. Finally, on Friday, you will attend a new student orientation that will introduce you to life at Beauregard High."

Dean couldn't help but blurt out, "Uniform? Lady, are you crazy?"

John quickly turned and snapped at him, "Dean! You apologize immediately! You know better than to speak like that to a lady! I'm surprised and shocked at your behavior."

Dean knew that he would pay for that outburst later at the house. He remorsefully said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Pascal. I know better than to talk like that. It won't happen again."

"Well, I hope not. That type of behavior is not tolerated at Beauregard. Proper respect and decorum is required at all times. I hope you understand that there will be serious consequences for those types of outbursts once you begin attending BHS."

"Yes, ma'am. I apologize again; please forgive me."

"Yes, Dean. I will think nothing more of it. To answer your question, yes, uniforms are required at Beauregard High School. We have found that students perform much better when dressed in a professional manner. You will find that there are many such standards that have been set here to help our students become the most prepared for college and career upon graduation. We pride ourselves in being the public school that gives our students a private school experience and education. You will be required to wear long khaki pants and a broadcloth shirt every day. The color of the shirt may be chosen by you from our list of approved colors. Also, casual dress shoes are to be worn. Sweatshirts, jackets, and coats may only be worn into the school, but then must be placed in your private locker for the remainder of the day. Button-up sweaters or sweater vests may be worn during the colder months. In the packet that I will give you before you leave, will be a paper with the stores that carry our uniforms as well as several second-hand stores that frequently have these items in stock. Any student not in uniform will receive 5 demerits and will be sent home to change into the proper attire. Do you have any further questions about the uniform policy?"

"No Ma'am. I think I understand, but what are demerits?"

"Oh, I'm so glad that you asked that! Demerits are part of our behavior management plan. Students receive demerits for infractions of the policies and procedures. After a student accumulates 20 demerits they must appear before the discipline committee who will determine the proper consequences to reinstate that student to active status. All of this is explained in the handbook that I will give you before you leave."

"Now, Mr. Winchester, have you finished the registration form?"

John handed the completed form to Mrs. Pascal.

"Thank you, Mr. Winchester. We are almost finished. The final thing that I need to take care of before giving you your orientation packet and sending you on your way is determining Dean's bus route."

Dean responded quickly, "Oh, that's not necessary. I have my own transportation."

"Oh Dean, I'm so sorry. We do not allow any personal vehicles to be used by students. Everyone is required to ride the provided school transportation or be transported by parents. We have found that we have a lot less truancy, tardiness, and early dismissals when students ride the bus. It is just one other thing that sets Beauregard High apart from the rest of the schools. Louisiana schools may be ranked very low in school performance, but that is not the case for BHS. We are consistently first in the state in student performance, graduation rates, and attendance. Yes, Dean, you are very lucky to be attending this school."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Dean, as he began to realize his life was changing dramatically.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Dad, You've got to be kidding! A uniform? Demerits? Mandatory bus transportation? What kind of school is this? This is the 21st century for goodness sake! Did you hear her, 'Proper decorum is expected at all times.' exclaimed Dean as he and his dad walked toward the car. "A discipline committee? What is that, anyway? I might as well be going to a military academy! This really stinks, Dad. Please tell me that I don't have to go here."

"Dean, a little discipline never hurt anyone. You know how to behave and obey rules; you should have no problems. You also know what to expect if you do have problems. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Dean with a sigh.

"Speaking of discipline, you know you have some coming for that rude outburst to Mrs. Pascal back there."

"Yes, Sir. I figured. What's it going to be—training or swats?"

"I think five miles should take care of it. You can do your running while I read that handbook and packet and fix our lunch. After lunch, we'll go find the uniform and go by an urgent care to get your physical. I think you may be a little behind on some of your shots."

"Shots?" shrieked Dean. "Dad, you know I hate shots. This day just gets worse and worse."

"Dean, quit your whining. It is very unbecoming and especially annoying!" quipped John.

Dean sulked in his seat as Dad drove back to the house. He couldn't believe that all of this was happening. It must be a nightmare, and he was going to eventually awaken, and it would all be over. Then he and Sam would have a good laugh over all that Dean had dreamed, but, no, deep down Dean knew that this was very real. In no time at all, John and Dean were pulling into the drive-way of the old run-down shack that was now the Winchester mansion. Dean went to change into his running shorts while dad settled into the overstuffed chair.

As Dean ran down the long dirt road he let his mind wander. He was glad that dad had let him work off his punishment with training instead of licks with the belt. This was a lot less painful and humiliating, and he needed this time to think. He began to reason that this school couldn't be as bad as it sounded. They probably just say all of that stuff to scare kids into submission. He had met lots of adults before who tried to use intimidation as a means of gaining obedience. In fact, he would have to say that his dad was a perfect example, and he had to admit that it definitely worked in his case. However, he didn't think that it could really happen in school. After all, they were in the United States in the 21st century; there were laws to prevent this type of thing.

Dean continued to let his mind wander as he kept a steady pace with his breathing and pacing. In all actuality, Dean really did not feel that running was a punishment. He loved the feeling of freedom that he got while he ran across the landscape. He didn't want his dad to know how much relief he got from the rigorous workouts that John required because then he may quit using training as a punishment. Dean didn't want to have to pay for every indiscretion with a tanning from his dad's old leather belt. He thought back to the first time that he experienced a whipping from John Winchester; not just a spanking, but an actual strapping with the belt. He was ten years old, and he had directly disobeyed an order given to him by dad.

Dad had said, "Dean, don't you leave this room until I return. I'm going to go get some more salt, and I will bring home our dinner. I shouldn't be gone more than an hour. Keep an eye on Sam and Kellie, and Dean, no snacking for any of you. I don't want you to ruin your appetite for supper."

Dad hadn't been gone for more than fifteen minutes when Sam started whining about being hungry and wanting a snack. Finally, Dean couldn't take it anymore and said, "Fine! We'll all eat a bowl of cereal to keep us until Dad gets back with dinner." Unfortunately for Dean, it hadn't taken dad very long at the store and the drive-thru at Bojangles was very fast for a change. He walked into the room right as Dean and Sam were seeing who could blow the Fruit Loop closest to the edge of the table without it falling off. Dean froze in his seat knowing that dad was going to be very upset.

Dad couldn't believe that Dean had directly disobeyed the order that he had been given. Not only had he eaten a snack, but he had given one to Sam and Kellie as well; after he had specifically been told that they were not to snack while he was gone. He couldn't help the edge to his voice as he said, "Dean Winchester! I can't believe you directly disobeyed an order! Come here, Son."

Dean couldn't help but gulp guiltily as he walked towards his father. He knew that he had messed up, and his dad was very upset with him, and now he was going to pay. He looked at his shoes as he stood in front of an angry John Winchester afraid to see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Son, Look me in the eyes. When you have done something wrong, you always look me in the eyes. It shows that you are taking responsibility for your actions."

"Yes, Sir," said Dean as he slowly lifted his eyes to look at his dad. He felt his stomach quiver in anticipation of what John would say.

"Dean, you were given an order; weren't you"?

"Yes, Sir." Dean's voice quavered as he answered his dad's question.

"Son, What was that order?"

"That we were not to snack while you were gone because you didn't want us to ruin our appetite for dinner."

"That is correct. Dean, what do I expect you to do when I give you an order?"

"To do it", said Dean.

"Son, I have to know that when I give you an order that you are going to obey me. Our very lives may depend on your obedience. Dean, you are old enough now that I expect you to know the rules and to follow them exactly as you are told. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir," said Dean with a tear welling up in his eyes.

"Dean, I'm going to give you a whipping. You are a big boy now, and you are too old for a simple hand spanking. Son, I need you to go lean over the bed."

Dean did as his father instructed. He went and leaned over the side of the bed presenting his back-side for punishment. He felt a shiver run up his spine when he heard his dad remove his belt from the loops. He stiffened when he felt his dad walk up beside him and lay his hand on his back. Then, he heard the belt swing through the air and then land with a whack against his jeans. Dean felt the searing stripe across his rear-end, and before he could catch his breath dad had landed a second stripe just below the first.

By the third stripe, Dean was crying and shifting out of the way of the belt. He quickly understood the difference between a hand-spanking and a big boy belting. Dean suffered through the ten licks that dad gave swearing to himself that he would never disobey an order again. Finally, it was over, and Dean lay across the bed openly crying for several minutes, while John replaced his belt through the loops of his pants. He gave Dean several minutes to compose himself, and then he said, "Dean, come here, Son."

When Dean stood at John's side, he said, "Dean, I love you, and I will always love you no matter what you have done. But Dean, I need you to be responsible, and I need to know that when you are in charge you will follow my every order. I can't do my job effectively, if I'm constantly worried that you and the kids aren't safe. My orders are for that reason, to keep you three safe. Do you understand?

"Yes, Sir," replied Dean, leaning into his dad's arm for a hug.

Dean was almost finished running his five miles. He could see the house ahead in the distance. His dad would be there waiting for him to report on his punishment run, letting him know that he had completed all five miles, and that he had learned his lesson. Then he knew that dad would say, "Dean, I love you, and I will always love you no matter what you have done. But I need to know that you are going to follow the rules." Then Dean would lean into his dad's arm for a hug before heading for the shower. There was one thing about it, John Winchester was consistent.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay of this chapter. I have been extremely busy the last few weeks, and I wanted to make sure that I got this chapter just right because it truly sets the atmosphere for Beauregard High School.**

 **Thank you to everyone who has read my story and for the responses. Please continue to respond if you like the direction this story is going. How do you think Dean will respond to this new environment? What do you think is going on in this school? Enjoy!**

Chapter 6

"Dad, I look like such a dork! I can't believe I have to wear this."

"Dean, I've heard enough. Now, stop your complaining and get your butt ready for school. You don't want to be late on your first day. The car is leaving in five minutes."

Dean turned and walked over to the sink to brush his teeth and look in the mirror one more time. He couldn't help but sigh as he saw his reflection. He heard the honk of the horn and knew that he better get himself in the front seat of the Impala in a hurry. He ran out of the door, grabbing his backpack off of the hook as he pulled the door closed behind him. He jumped off of the front porch and sprinted to the car. He slid into the front seat and shut his door just as dad put the car into reverse and roared down the driveway.

"Glad that you could join us, Dean," Dad claimed sarcastically.

Other than that comment, the rest of the ride was in relative silence. Dean was still pouting over his uniform and all of the rules that he had read about in the school handbook. It seemed like Beauregard High School had thought of every single thing that a boy might enjoy, and then made a rule against it. Dean wasn't really worried about it though, every school had rules; that didn't mean that he ever followed them. What were they going to do? Detention? He never showed up for detention, and nothing was ever done about it. He was interested to see what this orientation was going to be; hopefully, it would be a really hot babe giving him a tour of the building and letting him know all of the inside information that he needed to know.

Sam and Kellie were in the backseat being very quiet as well. Sam was studying for some upcoming quiz, and Kellie was reading another book. Dean couldn't figure out how Kellie could read so many books; every time he saw her she had a book in her hand. Oh well, it kept her out of trouble most of the time, and so it must not be all bad. In fact, thought Dean, maybe I should try reading more myself, at least when dad is home. His mind continued to wander as his dad drove toward the school campus. He loved the fact that his dad loved the same kind of music that he did, because it was always great to hear those classic rock songs booming out of the speakers as they cruised down the highway.

Before it seemed possible, they pulled up in front of Beauregard High School, and Dean was sliding out of the car. From now on, they would have to ride the bus to and from school each day. Dad had let the transportation department know that they just needed to let the kids out at the turn-off to the dirt driveway, and they could walk the two miles to their house. He figured the extra exercise wouldn't hurt them. "See you guys on the bus", said Dean. He made sure that he had his most surly expression on his face, and tried to look as cool as possible in the awful uniform that he was forced to wear. At least he had on his leather jacket, but he had to take that off as soon as he was issued his locker. As he ascended the stairs, he saw a group of boys hanging around the entrance of the school. One boy, in particular, stood out from the rest of the group. He had a certain air about him that Dean could tell that he was the leader of the group. His posture, the tilt of his head, the crooked smirk, and the look of his eyes all spoke of authority. It was obvious that he was the commander, and the other boys were his posse, ready to obey his every command.

"Well, Well, Well. Looks like we have a new student, boys! I can tell this one is a real winner. Look at that jacket. He thinks he's really something with it," sneered the boy, and all of the other boys nodded in agreement. "What's your name, Newbie?"

Dean stared him straight in the eyes and answered, "Dean. How about your name, Newbie?"

"I'm not the newbie, Newbie. This is my turf that you're on now. Learn that really fast, or you'll wish you had. Griffon is my name; remember it."

"Whatever, Bro.", said Dean as he stalked past the crowd and nudged shoulders with Griffon. He continued on into the school, glad that he had passed his initial confrontation with the school bully. He had stood his ground and avoided any major conflict. So far, so good. He headed for the front office. He took a deep breath before he turned the cold doorknob, and swaggered to the high front desk where Mrs. Pascal stood smiling at him.

"Oh Mr. Winchester! I'm so glad that you were able to join us this morning at Beauregard High School. It is going to be a wonderful day, and you are going to have the best time. You are really going to love it here."

"Uh, thank you. I mean, you too," stammered Dean. He wondered if Mrs. Pascal smiled like that in her sleep. It was kind of creepy.

"Now, Mr. Winchester, if you would please take a seat, I'll call your student ambassador. Mr. Holden, our principal, has chosen an excellent student to escort you around the building today and complete your orientation. I'm sure that you will be most prepared for school at BHS by the end of the day." Mrs. Pascal went to an intercom panel on the wall behind her and pushed a button. Suddenly, Dean heard chimes sound throughout the building. "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," spoke Mrs. Pascal into the intercom. "We have a new student who has entered the hallowed halls of Beauregard High School today. His name is Dean Winchester. Please make sure that everyone makes him feel welcome as he completes his orientation. If Mr. Dalton, would please come to the office to begin the orientation. Thank you, and have a wonderful day, students."

Dean was amazed. First of all, chimes? Chimes in a school? He had never heard such a thing before. Then, to announce to the whole school that he was a new student, and to introduce him by name to everyone, it was all very different from what Dean had experienced at any other school in the past. He looked up as a tall, thin boy entered the office, held out his hand for a handshake, and said, "You must be Dean. I'm Luke Dalton, and I will be your ambassador today."

Dean shook Luke's hand as he stood from the wooden chair and said, "Nice to meet you, Luke. Guess you're stuck with me today."

"Oh, I'm excited. It's always nice to get to introduce Beauregard High to new people. It's a really great school; we are lucky to be students here. Come with me, and we will go over your class schedule before I take you around to meet your teachers."

"Oh, Ok. Sure," said Dean as he followed Luke into the same conference room where he had met with Mrs. Pascal earlier in the week. Dean took a seat in a chair around the conference table as Luke sat beside him at the table.

"Well, Dean, you are in for a real treat. BHS is the best school, and we all love being here."

Dean just continued to look expectantly at Luke, and so he continued, "First of all, you identified yourself as a morning person, and so you will have the 7 am until 4 pm schedule."

Dean couldn't help but let out a sputter as he exclaimed, "7 am? 4pm? You've got to be kidding me! I've never gone to school that long. Why?"

"Oh, you will get use to it. The longer school day allows us to participate fully in our instructional classes as well as intramural athletics. Also, your transcript was lacking quite a few necessities, and so you will need to take an extra rigorous schedule to meet the requirements here. Most students who start at 7am finish by 2:45pm, but staying until 4:00 will allow you to makeup those missed classes."

"Now, you identified music as one of your strengths, and so you have been enrolled in music appreciation, music theory I, and instrumental group lessons. You also chose trumpet as your favorite instrument, and therefore, you will be studying trumpet performance as your instrumental emphasis. Next, you said that you were interested in a career involving classic automobiles, and so you will be taking a class in marketing, a class in computer assisted graphic design and advertising, as well as an accounting class to help you pursue your life goals. Then of course, you will be enrolled in English Literature, Classic Composition, Applied Advanced Mathematics, Life and Organic Sciences, Word History and Geography, and Spanish I. You really should be in Spanish III at this point, but unfortunately, that was one of your missing requirements. Finally, your assigned intramural physical education class for this semester is Lacrosse. Can you think of any other courses that you think are missing from this schedule?", asked Luke.

Dean was in complete shock by this point. He had never even heard of some of these classes, much less, ever imagined actually taking them. As he slowly looked up at Luke, he said, "No. No, I think that about covers it."

"Good, Good. Now, before I escort you to meet each of your instructors, I would like to make a very small observation. If you notice, I am wearing a tie with my uniform. As you walk around the school, you will notice that every other boy in the school is wearing a tie as well. We, as a student body, have decided that we want to demonstrate our love and devotion to the faculty and staff by going above and beyond the required expectations of our school dress code. Out of respect, we all wear a tie to school each and every day. We have found that it truly sets the tone as a school of excellence by showing this act of professionalism. I know that you will want to dress accordingly on Monday morning."

"Uh, Ok. Sure," Dean stammered. He felt like he must be lost in some Twilight Zone episode. He couldn't understand this place. Surely, these kids must be under some type of hypnotic curse or something. Maybe this was the hoodoo that dad was researching. Everything about his morning felt so unreal. He followed Luke as he exited the front office and moved into the hallway.

"Now, Dean, all of the hallways to the left are for the ladies of Beauregard High; the hallways to the right are for we gentlemen. You must never be caught in the hallways reserved for the feminine species; because that would result in an immediate 20 demerits. You would definitely not want that to happen because you would be put on probation until you met with the discipline committee and performed your punishment expectations. That would be a very unfortunate situation. So remember, if the hallway is painted with that pink stripe, you are not to enter.

"Wait! You mean Beauregard boys and girls are in separate classes? You mean your school is not integrated?"

"Dean, of course we are integrated. Who do you think we are? Boys and girls go to the same school; we just have separate classes. It has been determined that we perform academically superior when we are not distracted by those of the fairer sex, and that is also true for the ladies. It is a scientifically proven fact. Now, off we go to the right."

"Here, we are at your music appreciation class," said Luke as he rapped on the closed door.

Dean heard a voice from inside the classroom say, "Enter."

As Luke opened the door, Dean saw a classroom full of boys all facing forward, sitting up straight as arrows, with their hands folded on their desks. Each boy wore the required uniform as well as the optional tie. Not one boy turned toward the door as he and Luke stood there.

"Permission to enter requested, Sir," said Luke to his right.

"Permission granted. You may enter." At that point, and not a moment before, Dean saw several boys turn their heads to look at the interruption.

"Pardon the interruption, Sir. May I introduce you to our newest student, Mr. Dean Winchester? He will be in your Music Appreciation as well as your instrumental group lessons. He will officially begin classes on Monday morning. Dean, this is Dr. Broussard."

Dr. Broussard addressed Dean directly, "Fine, Fine! Mr. Winchester, it is a delight to have you join our fine academic establishment. I'm sure that your days here will be extremely beneficial. We look forward to seeing you again on Monday morn. Come prepared to demonstrate your highest level of scholarship as you endeavor to establish yourself at the highest level of academic prowess. Splendid, Sirs, you are dismissed."

Dean's day continued in like fashion, as he was introduced to each instructor and given a warning to prepare himself for entrance to Beauregard High School. He noticed that every instructor was a man, and they all were referred to as Dr. He also noticed that within every classroom sat male students who looked and acted alike, as if they were all molded from the same clay. The hallways were perfectly quiet even as students transitioned from one classroom to the next. Even during lunch period, the boys were separated from the girls, and they maintained a whisper-like atmosphere as they ate their lunches and casually conversed with their closest neighbors. To say that Dean Winchester was overwhelmed would be an understatement. He was anxious to climb onto the bus and discuss his day with Sam and Kellie.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Mr. Winchester, I need to see you in the hall, please."

Dean looked around the room for a moment. He still had not gotten used to being called "Mr. Winchester", but all of the teachers referred to the students by their last names. Likewise, they expected to be called "Instructor, Sir" and to always be answered with a "Yes, Sir" or "No, Sir". It was Dean's third official day at Beauregard High School, and so far he had managed to stay off of the radar. When he realized that Instructor Beauchamp was referring to him, he quickly answered with a "yes, Sir" and stood and walked to the classroom door. He tucked in his shirt and ran his hand through his hair to make sure that he would pass inspection. He walked into the hall and stood with his back against the wall. He looked toward each end of the passageway, but the hallway was empty except for himself.

Finally, Instructor Beauchamp opened the door and walked into the hallway to stand in front of Dean who tried to look as compliant as possible. His teacher stared at Dean for a moment, and then he began, "Mr. Winchester, you seem like a fine young man. You are mannerly and you seem to be adjusting well here at BHS."

"Thank you, Sir," replied Dean.

"However, it appears that your study skills are less than desirable. After failing yesterday's quiz and neglecting to complete your homework assignment, do you remember what I told you?"

"Yes, Sir. I remember what you said." Dean's gaze never wavered. His dad had always told him to look everyone in the eye when speaking to them to show respect and honesty. Shifty eyes were not something that John Winchester tolerated.

"Well, Mr. Winchester, would you care to repeat my statement to me?"

Dean could tell that it was really more of a command than a request, and so he answered, "Yes, Sir. You said that I had received my warning."

"That is correct. Now, do you understand what that means?"

Dean thought for a moment before saying, "I assume that it means that you only give one warning, and that I received it yesterday."

"That is correct, Mr. Winchester. Now, do you know what that means?"

Dean could not help but think that this questioning could go on all day long. Finally, he replied, "I guess that means that you are going to give me a consequence."

"And Mr. Winchester, that is also correct. Now do you understand what that means?"

"Yes, Sir. Afterschool detention will be assigned, but Instructor Beauchamp, I really can't stay for afterschool detention because I don't have any transportation if I don't ride the bus."

"Well, Mr. Winchester, Lucky for you that we don't believe in afterschool detention. You will never receive detention for any type of noncompliance of school rules. We at Beauregard High School have found a much more effective deterrent to mischievous behavior or lack of discipline by our students."

"Oh Really? What would that be?" Dean asked.

"Mr. Winchester, we have found that old-fashioned correction is the best form of remediation. Therefore, since you have now failed to complete your homework for the second time since starting school, you will be paddled."

"What? You've got to be kidding me! Paddled? Schools still do that?" Dean could not help the squeak that came into his voice.

"Yes, Mr. Winchester, schools still do that. In fact, most of the schools in the south still use paddling on a consistent basis. Fortunately for us, we have found that once or twice of the paddle being applied to an erring student's buttocks, usually results in the desired effect. Most students do not prefer to repeat the experience."

"But Instructor Beauchamp, isn't there something else that I can do? I didn't really understand that paddling was used at this school. I knew that some schools still paddled younger elementary kids, but I'm sixteen years old! Surely, there is some other type of punishment other than getting the paddle."

It wasn't that Dean was necessarily scared of getting paddled, but the thought of his dad finding out left him breathless. Dad had always said that if "you get in trouble at school, you can expect a thorough punishment when you get home." But then, Dean wasn't really relishing the idea of getting hit with a wooden board either. He was tough, but he wasn't stupid.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Winchester, but you signed the contract for entrance to our school. Our behavior policy was clearly explained, and paddling was definitely mentioned as one of the procedures used for consequences. I gave you your warning yesterday, and you failed to heed that direction. It is only appropriate that today you pay for your lack of discipline. Do you have any further questions?"

"No, Sir, I guess not."

"Ok. Now, that you are willing to accept responsibility for your indiscretion and receive proper punishment, you have a choice in the matter. You may choose to allow me to paddle you immediately, or you may wait in the office for your father to arrive."

"My father? What do you mean?"

"Well, each student to be paddled can have his father contacted to come to the school and administer the punishment instead of the teacher. Many of our parents actually prefer to paddle their sons themselves since they can be much more thorough in ensuring that their child understands the error of his ways. So which would you prefer?"

It was all Dean could do to hold back from sarcastically saying, "Prefer? I prefer to stick that paddle where the sun don't shine", but he knew that it would only lead to more trouble. He had every hope that he could prevent his dad from ever finding out about this, and so he replied, "I'll take it from you. What do you want me to do?"


	8. Chapter 8

**I want to thank everyone for the reviews. Please continue to send reviews as they encourage me to continue writing since I am relatively new to fanfiction. Also, I haven't forgotten the hoodoo. I have been researching urban legends in the Louisiana area, and it is going to come into the story very soon. Maybe even sooner than you realize. I hope you enjoy this chapter; I just wish that I could give Dean a big hug.**

Chapter 8

"Mr. Winchester, there are just a few minor details to take care of first." At this, Instructor Beauchamp walked over to a cabinet located on the far wall. He removed a key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock. As he opened the door, Dean noticed a small laptop emerge on an extendable shelf. Instructor Beauchamp started the computer and then began to type what Dean could only assume must be information about him. As he was typing he began to speak, "Ah, Ok. Well Mr. Winchester, I see that this is your first punishment since arriving at Beauregard High School. That is very fortunate for you."

"Fortunate? Sir, I am about to get paddled; what could be fortunate about that?" Dean replied.

"Well you see, Mr. Winchester, the normal paddling consists of ten swats; however, since this is your first one, you will only receive six. We try to be compassionate even in the midst of chastisement."

Dean answered in his customary snarky way, "Well thank you for that, Sir. We all need compassion particularly in the act of chastisement. I'll remember that as you are wailing on my tail."

"Mr. Winchester, if you would prefer to forgo your beginner status, I can always oblige you and provide the standard number of swats. Would that be your preference?"

"No, Sir. I'll accept my beginner status, but thank you for the offer," Dean hastily replied.

"Well, that about does it. Mr. Winchester, I need for you to step over here and place your signature on this form. That just verifies that you accept full responsibility for your two incomplete homework assignments, acknowledge that you were given a verbal warning, and that you accept the assigned consequences for your lack of effort."

Dean walked over and took the stylus from Instructor Beauchamp and hastily scribbled his signature on the line provided. "Ok, Instructor, let's kick it in the ass."

At this point, Dean watched as his teacher returned the computer to its place in the cabinet. He then reached to a lower shelf and began to retrieve the largest paddle that Dean had ever seen. It was at least 2 feet long from handle to end and was probably 8-10 inches wide. It was about 2 inches thick and had holes drilled into it about every ¼ inch. Dean couldn't help but gulp when he saw it, and then he let out a heavy sigh. He knew that this was not going to be pleasant. He couldn't help but be thankful for his beginner status.

"Now, Mr. Winchester, I need you to move to the middle of the hallway. Square yourself up, and then bend at your waist and grab your ankles. You must maintain position throughout the whole paddling. If you move position, the previous swat will be negated, and I will be forced to administer that swat again. You are to count aloud the swats as you receive them. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, Sir."

"Okay, Mr. Winchester, Assume the Position."

Dean slowly walked to the middle of the hallway and proceeded to follow the instructions given to him by Instructor Beauchamp. He knew that this was going to be bad, and he hoped that he could maintain his composure and not humiliate himself. While holding his ankles, Dean looked behind to see Instructor Beauchamp lining himself up and judging the proper distance to ensure the optimum amount of force. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. In the middle of his inhalation, he felt the board slam into his buttocks. A fire quickly spread across his rear as he heard the swat reverberate all down the hallway. Caught somewhat off guard, Dean flinched and came out of position before he even realized it.

"Oh, Mr. Winchester, I am so sorry, but you have left the position. That swat will not count. Now please, reassume the position for your first swat."

"Yes, Sir," Dean replied with a deep sigh. He now had a new determination to receive the rest of his paddling without interruption. He stood the rest of the way up, stretched his arms and legs, and then returned to holding his ankles. He would not be caught off guard this time. He looked behind himself again and knew when Instructor Beauchamp pulled his arm back as high as he could that he would be feeling the swat at any moment. Even though he knew it was coming, he was not quite prepared for the pain that he felt when the paddle slammed into his backside. He was slammed up onto the tips of his toes, but he held on tightly to his ankles to assure that he would not leave position. He once again heard the noise reverberate in the hallway sounding like a shotgun fire. He thought for sure that everyone in the school must have heard. He couldn't believe the intensity of the pain that then spread into a burning fire across his rear. He scrunched his eyes closed and took a deep breath. Finally, he let out a "One, Sir".

The second swat came just as fast and as furiously as the first one. Once again Dean was pushed to the tips of his toes as he fought hard to maintain position. He knew that he would be feeling this for quite a while, and he still had to sit in the hard desk chairs for three more hours. This day was just going to be miserable. He could feel as the tears began to pool in his eyes, but he was determined to take this paddling as stoically as possible. Compared to the whippings from his dad, this paddling would not compare in the long run, but only because of the limitation to the number of swats. However, the intensity of pain caused by the monstrous piece of wood, upon impact, was incomparable. Dean only had to endure four more swats. "Two, Sir."

Instructor Beauchamp hesitated just a moment before delivering the third swat. He laid the paddle against Dean's tightly stretched rear, and smirked as he saw the quiver that shot across his backside. He slowly rubbed the paddle back and forth across Dean's fleshy cheeks waiting for the perfect time to catch him unaware once again. Feeling Dean relax just a bit, he quickly pulled the paddle back as far as he could and quickly slammed it forcefully into Dean's lower crease and upper thighs. He heard Dean let out a muffled "AAAhh", and he was satisfied that he was making a strong impression upon this new student with a tough guy image. Mr. Winchester would learn what it meant to be a Beauregard High School student; a man of respect, discipline, and submission. Mr. Beauchamp was proud of the fact that all students who had Dean Winchester's profile, an independent and stubborn streak with a tendency to outwit the system, were purposely placed in his class for the purpose of breaking their will and creating compliant individuals. Students who could not be retrained had a way of mysteriously disappearing and never returning to BHS. Then he heard, "Three, Sir."

Mr. Beauchamp knew exactly where to place the next swat to inflict the most amount of pain to a young man. Carefully judging his aim, he landed the fourth swat exactly where the third had landed. He could not believe that Dean was able to hold position. He watched as Dean grabbed onto his ankles as tightly as possible and watched his fingers turn white as he held onto them with a death-grip. He saw tears slide across Dean's face as his body shuddered from top to bottom, and he saw him clench his jaws to prevent any sound from escaping. It was obvious to him that this young man had experienced quite a lot of pain in his lifetime and would not be easily broken. He knew that Dean knew how to internalize the pain and how to fight for control; he was a survivor. Finally, after hearing several deep breaths, he heard a quiet and subdued voice say, "Four, Sir."

Once again Instructor Beauchamp hesitated to confuse Dean's timing. He pulled back as if to strike him, but then he only laid the paddle along Dean's behind. Once again, he saw the shudder pass through Dean's body and saw him flinch just a bit. It was all part of the process to the teacher; all part of the breaking of the will. It was a type of mind control; a process that he had perfected. Slowly this time, he pulled the paddle back and left it hanging in the air until he saw Dean relax his buttocks, and then he brought the paddle down with as much strength as he could apply squarely in the middle of Dean's butt. He saw the paddle bounce off its target as he applied the follow-through with an upward flip of his wrist. He knew that by this point, Mr. Winchester was in agonizing pain and should soon be begging for mercy. Very few students had made it this far in a Beauchamp paddling without crying and pleading; yet Dean was taking his punishment in relative silence. "Five, Sir."

Dean knew that he only had to endure one more swat, but he also knew that Instructor Beauchamp would make it memorable. This was more about making a boy suffer than punishment for an indiscretion. He wasn't sure what the ultimate purpose was for this beating, but he was determined to get through it and try to find out. He had survived five, or six if you counted the first one, swats without embarrassing himself. Yes, he had tears, but they were controlled, and he had only uttered a few "ohs" and "ahs" as the pain intensified. He knew that his backside must be severely bruised, but hopefully there was no broken flesh wounds. He steeled himself for the final swat.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

As the bus approached the stop in front of the high school, Sam noticed Dean leaning against the post of the sign. He could tell by just looking at him that something was not quite right. Then he saw as he climbed aboard that he walked with a slight limp. Dean walked to the seat in front of Sam and Kellie, and gingerly sat down with a grimace on his face. Then, he laid his head back against the window and let out a deep sigh.

"Dude, what's wrong? Bad day or something?"

"The worst," replied Dean.

"What happened?" asked Sam.

"I got paddled for not completing two homework assignments."

"Is that all?"

"Sam, you don't understand. My ass was grass. Instructor Beauchamp basically used my rear for batting practice. I guarantee you that it is black and blue back there. If that wasn't bad enough, I have a note informing dad about the incident that I have to get signed and returned tomorrow. If I don't bring it back, I get another paddling. I'm so dead."

"Dean, maybe dad will let it slide since it was your first one," said Kellie.

"Whose dad are you talking about? You know his rule. The problem is that I'm so sore from today's paddling, I don't know if I can take a whipping from dad too. But you know what was really weird? At the end of the day, I was called to the office for the note to bring home. Of course Mrs. Pascal was standing there behind that big desk with the envelope addressed to dad in her hand. As I walked up to her, she began shaking her head and clucking her tongue. Finally she said, "Oh Mr. Winchester, I'm so sorry that you have received a discipline referral so soon upon arriving at Beauregard High School. I hope that you will learn quickly from your punishment." Then she looked at me very strangely and said, "You wouldn't want the boogey man to get you; now would you?"

Sam looked at Dean and asked, "Well, what did you say?"

"What could I say? It was really odd. I mean, I've heard people say that to little kids when they are trying to get them to behave, but this is a high school for goodness sake. I just stared at her for a second, but she had this really serene look on her face; almost like a blank stare. It was very creepy. Finally, I just said, 'Yes ma'am. I will.' Then she put on that really large smile of hers and said, 'Oh Wonderful. I know you are going to just love it here, eventually.'

"I'm telling you, man, it was strange. The whole day was different than any place that I've ever been. First of all, Instructor Beauchamp takes me into the hallway and starts complementing me on how mannerly I am. Next thing I know, he has me bent over grabbing my ankles while he sadistically beats the crap out of me. It was almost as if he enjoyed it. It's like he has been trained in the art of paddling wayward boys until they cringe in submission. Then, not one student even looked at me when I came back in the classroom from getting my butt pounded; it was like they were oblivious to the whole matter. I just knew that they would be laughing, snickering, and pointing fingers at me, but not a thing was mentioned by anyone all day long. Then, finally, that weird encounter with Mrs. Pascal at the end of the day. Oh, I forgot to tell you, later after lunch, I bumped into Instructor Beauchamp, and he said, 'Ah, Mr. Winchester, I hope you are having a great day!' I'm telling you both, there is some serious witchcraft going on here.

It wasn't long before the bus stopped at the driveway, and Dean, Sam and Kellie began the two-mile walk down the gravel road. They walked slower than usual since Dean was so sore from the paddling. Sam finally said, "Dean, you've got to tell dad everything about this. Maybe this school has something to do with the hoodoo that he has been following. He hasn't really told us anything about this case or what he is looking for. Hopefully, he'll have some answers to your questions."

"That would be great if he does, but right now I'm just hoping he has some sympathy."

The Winchester trio arrived at their shack and went to begin their chores. Sam told Dean that he would do his for him and told him to go rest until dad got home. So Dean stiffly climbed the ladder to the loft and lay on his stomach on his mat. He had not been there long before he drifted off into a fitful sleep. He dreamed that he was back at school in the hallway waiting to be paddled, but instead of Instructor Beauchamp holding the paddle, it was an ugly monster preparing to beat Dean's backside. He dreamed that he was crying and begging for his dad to come and save him, but the creature just laughed a heinous laugh and told him that his dad would never come to save him. There was no saving from the boogey monster.

Dean woke up in a cold sweat. The dream had seemed so very real. He could not believe that he had let the people at this school get into his head this badly. A boogey man? Dean knew that the boogey man was just an old urban legend that parents used to frighten children; why was this bothering him so much? He thought maybe it was just his nervousness of giving the note to his dad. He didn't figure that his dad would be too mad about something as small as two homework assignments, but he also wouldn't be too happy that Dean had called attention to himself after only three days. Besides, his dad was a man of principle, and if he told you something, you could count on his word. Dean knew that he was in for a rough evening.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

After dinner had been eaten and the kitchen cleaned, Dean gave a quick jerk of his head to Sam. Sam knew that was Dean's way of letting him know that he was ready to talk to dad, and that he and Kellie should make themselves scarce. Sam walked over and led Kellie out to the front porch as Dean approached his father with the note tucked into the back of his jeans.

"Dad, I need to talk to you for a minute," Dean stammered.

"Ok, Son. Just a minute." John finished up writing the letter that he was working on.

Dean stood patiently waiting for his dad's attention. Finally, John put away his papers and looked at Dean. "Ok, Son. Go ahead. What do you need to talk about?"

"Well, Dad, I got into some trouble today. I'm really sorry. I know how you feel about this kind of thing."

John Winchester sat up straighter, cleared his throat, and sternly said, "Dean, what happened?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, Dad. I got paddled today at school."

"Paddled? What? Dean what were you doing? It's only your third day of school!"

"I know, Dad, but I didn't know that they paddled you for almost everything at Beauregard. I didn't do my homework twice, and I got the crap beat out of me. I'm not making excuses, and I accept full responsibility for it, but, Dad, it wasn't fair. And I know that I have a whipping coming to me, but please don't give it to me tonight. I know that I'm bruised badly, and I'm so sore. I just can't take anymore today. Please, Dad, Please don't."

"Son, we'll talk about all of that later, but I've got to get some information from you."

"Yes, Sir. What can I tell you?"

"Dean, tell me exactly what happened."

"Yes, Sir." Dean proceeded to recount all of the events that had happened to him earlier at school. He explained about Instructor Beauchamp giving him a warning the day before, and about only getting six swats for the first occurrence. He told him about the large paddle with holes, and about not holding position and receiving an extra swat. He discussed how his teacher had seemed to taunt him during the paddling by pretending to swing and then barely touching him just to watch him flinch. Finally, Dean told his dad about having to drop his jeans for the final swat and place his head against the bottom of the cinderblock wall so that he would hit his head if he left position without permission. He could tell that his father was very disturbed about the information that he shared, and he hoped that the details would persuade him to lessen his punishment.

"Dean, were there any unusual occurrences that you were aware of while this took place?" asked John.

"Yes, Sir." Dean then told his dad about the students who seemed oblivious to the chastisement, Instructor Beauchamp's comments about having a great day, and finally Mrs. Pascal's comments about the boogey man getting him and her incoherent stare right afterward.

"Anything else, Son? Anything that you haven't told me?"

"Well, the only other thing that I can think of was that I had this really crazy nightmare while I was taking a nap in the loft this afternoon."

"What kind of nightmare?"

"Well, I dreamed I was getting paddled again, but then when I looked back, it was the boogey man giving me the paddling instead of Instructor Beauchamp. I started begging for you to come and save me, and he told me that you would never come and help me. That no one gets saved from the boogie man. Dad, what are you getting at; why all of these questions?"

"Son, I'm just very concerned about the events that you have described to me, especially since they took place at your high school."

"My high school? Why should that matter?"

"Dean, the reason that we came here to Louisiana was because I read about three missing boys from this town. The events surrounding the possible abduction of the boys seemed very suspicious to me. I had your Uncle Bobby do some research, and it seems that every few years three boys go missing from Beauregard County. The interesting thing about the victims is that they all seem to have the same profile; they are very independent and present a tough-guy image. They also seemed to invite trouble at Beauregard High School, and all had recently received disciplinary actions prior to their disappearance."

"Dad, you didn't intentionally send me there as bait, did you?"

"No, Dean. Of course not! I had no idea that you would strut into this new school and get your tail tanned on your third day. I thought we had a thing about staying off of the radar. You know that I would never intentionally put you into danger."

"Yeah Dad, I know. I really didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't think that I would get in this kind of trouble for not doing my homework. I've not done homework in years, and I've never gotten more than a slap on the wrist."

"Oh, Really? We need to talk about that further," Dad stated as he gave Dean a lopsided smirk.

Dean hoped to get off of that topic as soon as possible, and so he quickly asked, "Well, Dad, did Uncle Bobby find out any more information about the disappearances? Does he have any idea of what kind of monster that we might be dealing with here?"

"Yes, Dean. He does. Have you ever heard of the _croquemitaine?"_

"No, Sir. I don't believe I've ever heard of one of those. What can you tell me about it?"

"Well, Son, it is a Cajun legend carried to Southern Louisiana from the islands. It has been talked about for generations and generations. There are different names for this monster depending on the country in which you live. However, most people in the deep south simply refer to it as the Boogey Man.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: I know this is a short chapter, but it just seemed like the right place to leave this chapter. I appreciate all of the kind comments so far, but I would really like to ask for more. I don't feel like I'm getting enough feedback to figure out exactly where to go next in the story. I have a general idea of the direction, but your comments help me decide on specific details.**

 **If you enjoy this story, please share it with your other fanfic friends to increase my viewers. Thank you and enjoy.**

Chapter 11

"Dad, Are you telling me that the boogey man is real?" asked an astonished Dean.

"Dean, you look surprised."

"But I thought that it was just a legend that parents told their kids so they would go to bed or to obey the rules. I had no idea that it was real!"

"Well, Dean, is the rugaru real?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Is the wendigo real?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then why would the boogey man be any different?" asked John.

"I guess you're right, dad; I just never thought about it before."

"Well, you better start thinking about it, Dean; because you've put a huge target right on your back. Think about it, Son, a tough guy image, disciplinary action at school, and very independent. You fit that MO to a tee. You typically don't get in trouble at school though."

"I know, but this school makes it really hard to slide under the radar, Dad." replied Dean.

"Well, we'll talk about all of that later. Right now, you and Sam and I need to hit the books, and see what we can find out about this thing."

"Yes, Sir."

A couple of hours later, John and the boys were discussing what they had found during their research about the _croquemitaine_.

"Well, according to the lore," said Sam, "the boogey man is steeped in legend from the country of France. However, it was brought to the islands of Central America with the explorers. It was primarily used by parents to scare their children into submission. That was a very common practice in the 16th and 17th centuries, and many speculate that this monster was another name used for the devil. The idea was that if children didn't behave that a monster would come and take them away to a very bad place."

"Wow, talk about warped," said Dean.

"Did either of you find anything else?"

Sam continued, "Well, I found this nursery rhyme that was connected to it. It says,

One, Two, buckle my shoe

Three, Four, shut the door

Five, Six, pick up sticks

Seven, Eight, lay them straight

Nine, Ten, the boogey man is coming again.

Boogey Man, Boogey Man

We have a very bad lad;

Boogey Man, Boogey Man

Please don't get mad.

Boogey Man, Boogey Man

Please don't take me;

Boogey Man, Boogey Man

I'll stay away from three."

Dean looked puzzled. "What does that mean? I'll stay away from three?

Three what?"

"I don't know, Dean. That's all that it said. What do you think it means, Dad?"

"I don't know for sure, but it makes me think of three strikes and you're out. We need to do some more research and find out about those other missing boys. We need to see how many times they got in trouble at school before going missing. We probably need Bobby to get that information since they've seen all of us in the front office. I'll give him a call in a few minutes.

Dean, I need you to walk a really tight rope the next few days until we find all of the information that we need. We can't have you getting in any more trouble."

"Yeah, Dad. I know."

"No, Dean. I'm serious. Every homework assignment is to be done completely and correctly. Every quiz and test is to be passed. Every instruction is to be followed. I don't care if they tell you to stand on your head and quote the Declaration of Independence, you do it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir. I understand," replied Dean more meekly.

"Sam, you and Kellie need to head on up to bed. We've got a long day tomorrow. If you need to finish any homework or anything, you can do that up in the loft before you turn your lights out. I love you both."

They both gave their father a hug before they headed up the ladder to their room. Dean's stomach rolled as he noticed that his father had purposely left him out of the command. He knew that John had other intentions for him; he only hoped that it wouldn't be too bad. He sat quietly in his chair waiting for his dad to turn his attention to him.

Finally, John turned, looked at his oldest son who had turned slightly pale, and said, "Son, come take a walk with me."

Dean swallowed deeply, took a deep breath, and then said, "Yes, Sir."

He slowly stood up from the chair in which he was sitting and followed his dad out of the front door to what he assumed would be his impending doom.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: I want to thank ZBgirl for the suggestions for this chapter. I loved your review, and you really got me to think about how John would handle this situation. Thanks again.**

 **Also, thank you for all of the kind reviews. I'm glad that you are enjoying the story.**

Chapter 12

Dean followed his dad out of the door and onto the front porch. He watched as his dad leaned against the railing and waited to see what he would say. He stood quietly, and watched his father take several deep breaths. He could tell that John wanted to say something, but didn't seem to know how to begin. Finally, he said, "So you don't do homework?"

Dean glanced up at his dad before answering, and finally said, "No, Sir, not usually."

"Is there a good reason for not doing your homework?"

"I don't know, Dad. There is just always so much to do between training, and chores, and taking care of Sammy and Kellie. It just didn't really seem all that important before. My grades weren't the best, but there were passing, and that's all that I really cared about."

John knew that Dean would be completely honest with him before he ever even asked the next question, however, it was a question that needed asking. "Dean, do I make things too hard for you; expect too much?"

Dean hesitated before answering his dad's question. Finally, he looked straight into the eyes of his father and replied, "Dad, there are times that it feels like it's too much. I miss you when you're gone, and I get tired of always being in charge. Sometimes, I just want to be a normal kid; you know, play sports and things like that. Then, I remember what you're doing, saving lives and hunting monsters, and I know it's selfish of me to want that normal life. What you do is important; you're a superhero, Dad. This world needs you!"

John couldn't believe what had just come out of his son's mouth—a superhero? He never thought of himself as anything but a grieving father on a mission of revenge. He knew that this was no life for children, but what choice did he have? To hear Dean call him a superhero was almost more than John could imagine. This was going to make what he was about to do that much harder.

Finally, John looked at Dean and sternly said, "Drop your jeans, Son."

Dean fully expected what he heard his dad say, but he couldn't help but let out a final plea for mercy. "Dad, please, no."

John looked squarely at Dean and said, "Dean, now!"

"Yes, Sir. Where do you want me?" Dean knew better than to question his father any further. He didn't know why his dad was always so swift to justice, but he admired and respected him for it.

"Over the hood of the car will be fine."

"Yes, Sir." Dean walked to the front of the Impala. He slowly unbuckled his buckle and unzipped and lowered his jeans. He then slowly laid himself across the hood of the car with his head resting in his arms. He waited as his father slowly walked across the yard and positioned himself behind him. He anticipated the whoosh of the belt as it left his father's loops, but so far it had yet to happen.

Finally, Dean heard his father say, "He really did a job on you, didn't he?"

"Yes, Sir," Dean said while looking at his feet between his arms.

"Looks painful."

"Yes, Sir."

"Left quite a few marks."

"Yes, Sir."

"Alright Dean, get dressed."

Dean heard his father turn around and head back toward the porch. He quickly stood up and readjusted his clothing. He looked at the back of his retreating father, and felt a new admiration for this man that he so respected. His father was not only a man of justice, but also a man of mercy. He leaned against the car and tried to brand this picture of his dad in his mind. He so rarely saw this side of him anymore. There were faint memories of the gentle and caring father that was the man before his wife burned on the ceiling. Memories of being carried in the arms of John Winchester, of bedtime stories being told to Dean, and of playing and being tickled by his dad, haunted Dean's mind. He rarely thought of these memories anymore because they only led to sadness and longing for a life that was to never be, for a mom who would never live again, and for a dad that had long since transformed into a man with a relentless drive for justice.

Finally, Dean heard his father say, "You going to stay out there all night?"

"Uh, No Sir," Dean replied as he walked toward the porch and his motionless father. As he stood at the bottom of the steps, he looked up at his father, and quietly said, "Thank you, Dad."

His dad, not really knowing how to respond to him, simply nodded his head in Dean's direction. Finally, after a couple of seconds of awkward silence, John shifted his weight to the other leg and looked steadily at his first-born. "Dean, this is important. You have to take this seriously. Son, you cannot provoke this thing; you cannot get in any trouble in that school again. You are walking on thin ice already. I have to have time to research this jerk, and prepare our plan of action. Do you hear what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, Dad. You know I will."

"Dean, for all we know, this thing may draw boys into its web, enticing them or encouraging them into defiance. We just don't know enough about it at this point. You must be vigilant and strong. You must not be lulled into a false sense of security. Son, I would tan your hide every day if I thought that it would help keep you safe. I can't lose you."

"Yes, Sir. I'll do my very best; I promise."

"I know you will, Son. You've never let me down. Just remember, I'm proud of the man that you are becoming, and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and secure."

"Thank you, Dad."

"Alright Son, enough chick flick moments. Let's go inside and make a list of potential suspects to keep our eyes on for the next few days."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Dean and Sam worked in companionable silence on the roof of the cabin. Dad had left earlier that morning giving them explicit instructions to get the roof and the porch finished before his return at the end of the week. He had received a call from Caleb asking for his help on a case. It seemed that Caleb was having a difficult time with a group of werewolves, and he needed some back-up from some of the network of hunters. John had also spent quite a while reminding Dean of the importance of staying off the radar at Beauregard High School.

"Now Dean, I don't want to hear about any trouble while I'm gone. If you so much as sneeze the wrong way, I'll take my belt to you when I get back. Do I make myself clear, Son?"

"Yes, Sir. Crystal. I'll stay as far away from trouble as I can. You can depend on me."

Dean had been able to keep himself out of trouble at school with some help from Sam. Each evening they sat at the table and worked on homework; Sam answering any questions that Dean might have. Afterwards, he would quiz Dean on the material to make sure that he was prepared for any test that might be given the next day. Each day, Dean walked into his classes prepared and alert. The teachers, especially Professor Beauchamp, seemed almost disappointed that he did not give them the opportunity to call him out about some offense. However, Dean was a well-trained hunter, and now that he knew what the monster was that was after him, he was too smart to be tricked into its web. Of course, having his dad breathing down his neck, helped Dean stay on the straight-and-narrow as well. Dean learned long ago that his dad was relentless when it came to keeping his children safe and secure; he would do whatever it took to protect them. This dogged determination led to a fierce respect for their father and his discipline.

"Hey Sam, I'm ready for a break; how about you? I could use a sandwich and some water."

"Sounds good to me. Let's finish this section of boards first though."

As Dean and Sam finished making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Sam said, "I wonder where Kellie is? I haven't seen her in a while?"

"You're right. It has been a while since I saw her too. We better take a look around outside and check on her."

Sam and Dean started searching around the yard and calling for Kellie. They walked all the way around the perimeter of the house and down the path to the outbuilding. Finally, they started jogging up and down the long drive calling every few seconds hoping to hear their sister yelling back to them. As they met again, they were starting to get panicked. Dean said, "Sam, where could she be? She knows better than to leave the yard without one of us. I swear, I'm going to tan her backside when we find her. What was she thinking?"

"Now, Dean, don't go off of the deep end. She's got to be around here somewhere. Maybe she just fell asleep under a tree or something. I'm sure that she'll have a very reasonable explanation."

"Reasonable? What reasonable answer could there be for wandering off where we can't see her, and she obviously can't hear us calling for her. I tell you, Sam, I'm gonna kill her."

"Dean, give her a chance to explain first."

"I will. I just hope we aren't dealing with another Flagstaff incident."

"Dean, she's only ten. I don't think that she's taken off to live on her own."

"Well, you were only thirteen, and I didn't have any idea that you would take off like that and hitchhike across the country."

"I was a lot more mature than Kellie is, and I knew how to take care of myself."

"Well, I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. If we don't find her soon, I'm going to call dad immediately," replied Dean, remembering the fierce anger radiating from his dad when he finally called him a week after Sam's disappearance. He hadn't sat comfortably for a few days after that mistake.

"I don't think that I would try that escapade again either," answered Sam. He also remembered the swift reaction that he had received once his father gave him a grateful hug finally assured of his safety. It was not something that he wished to relive. He had definitely had fun while he was on his own in Flagstaff, living in a small shed, eating pizza and Funions, and playing with the stray dog that he had called Bonesy, but it really wasn't worth the trouble that occurred afterward. He hated to think that Kellie may have gotten such a crazy idea because of him.

Dean and Sam continued to search everywhere that they could think of as a possible hiding spot for Kellie. Sam went to check inside the house again to make sure that she wasn't in the loft or the bathroom. Dean looked in the outbuilding once again, and yelled for her as loudly as he could.

Returning to the front porch, Dean looked at Sam and said, "You don't think she went to the river do you? Surely, she knows better than to go there alone!"

"Oh Dean, let's go."

Dean and Sam ran as quickly as they could through the tall grass and toward the grove of trees to the east of their property. The river was not too far from the house, but they both knew how dangerous it could be for a ten year old child. Kellie could swim, but she might not realize how difficult the swift current would be, or that the bottom would be so deep in some areas. The boys were just reaching the edge of the trees when they heard a shrill scream.

"Dean! Sam! Help! Help! Help me!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Dean and Sam sprinted across the field and through the thick underbrush barely noticing the scratches to their arms and legs. They heard Kellie yelling again, "Dean! Sam! Help me, please!" They arrived at the river's edge at the same time, and both saw Kellie clinging to a rock in the middle of the swift current. She was crying frantically and screaming for help every few seconds. The boys both rushed into the water and swam their way toward their sister. Dean arrived to her first and said, "Ok, Sweetie. You're going to be ok. Just grab onto my neck."

Kellie let go of first one hand wrapping her arm around Dean's neck, and then finally grabbed him with the other arm. Feeling more secure now that her older brother had her, she laid her head over on his shoulder and sobbed from fright and relief. Dean swam back to the river's edge, set Kellie down carefully, and then lay back and drew in several deep breaths. Between the fear, the sprint, and the swim, Dean felt exhausted. Sam just sat on the riverbank watching Kellie with a stern expression.

Finally, Dean sat up and looked at his little sister. Now that the fear and exhaustion had passed, it was replaced with seething anger. "Kellie Ann, What in the world were you thinking? You know better than to wander off like that, and then to go out into the river. Girl, you're not going to be able to sit down for a month! If I weren't so tired, I'd put you across my knee right here and now. I can't even imagine what Dad will say when he gets home and finds out. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Dean, Please. Please don't be mad at me. I'm sorry, so sorry, but I had to. I couldn't let her go alone; I just couldn't." At that point, Kellie broke down and sobbed once again.

Sam took over the interrogation, "Kellie, you couldn't let who go alone?"

"The little girl."

Sam and Dean both looked skeptically at their sister before Dean asked, "What little girl? Kellie, who are you talking about?"

"The little girl that was standing in the grassy field. I was playing in the backyard with my doll, when this little girl yelled to me and told me to come play with her. I ran across the field toward her, and when I finally reached her she ran toward the trees, but she kept telling me to come play with her. She said that she was lonely and didn't have anyone to play with, and that she wanted me to play with her. I just kept following her."

"How old was this little girl?"

"I don't know for sure. She's younger than me, though. She was wearing this really pretty yellow dress, and she had the most amazing hair. It was the darkest black that I have ever seen, and she had it done into these ringlets that hung way down her back, and she had a big yellow bow tied in the back of her dress. I was hoping she would be my friend, but she just kept running away every time that I would get near her. Then, she would turn around and look at me, and tell me to come play with her. She looked so sad, and I really wanted to play with her. I don't know why she kept running away."

Sam then asked, "Well, how did you end up in the middle of the river?"

Kellie continued her story, "Finally, she got to the edge of the river; she stopped and looked back at me and told me that she had to go home but that she was afraid. I told her not to be afraid, and that I wanted to be her friend. She kept telling me to come and play with her, but that she had to go home. She held up her hand and beckoned for me to come with her so that we could play and she wouldn't be afraid anymore. I just couldn't let her go alone, Dean. She was so sad and scared. I just couldn't let her go alone."

"Kellie, what happened to this little girl? I didn't see anyone but you in the river."

"I don't know. She started to cross the river and kept telling me to come play with her. Next thing I remember, I was in the water and the current swept me off of my feet and started dragging me down stream. I was so scared, but I was finally able to grab onto that rock."

Dean just kept looking at Kellie with disbelief written all over his face. Finally, he said, "Kellie, I can't believe you would tell such a tale to get out of a spanking! Now, you just march yourself right over here and take what you've got coming to you."

Kellie looked up at Dean with her big innocent eyes and said, "Please Dean. You do believe me don't you? I'm not lying. I swear."

"Kellie Ann, don't you make me come over there and get you. You know that you did wrong. You know that you are not to leave the yard without one of us with you, and that we are supposed to know where you are at all times. You also know that you are never, I mean NEVER, to go into that river by yourself. Now, stop with this foolishness and get your tail over here."

Sam looked at Dean and said, "Wait, Dean. Let's hear her out. I don't think that she is lying."

Dean just stared at his brother. Sam had never interfered when it came to him disciplining his sister. Why would he start now?


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Sam, you know that she broke the rules, and she has to be punished. Why are you questioning me about this? asked Dean.

"I don't know, Dean. It just seems like she's telling the truth. It's not like Kellie to lie. What if there really was a little girl?"

"I don't care about the little girl; I only care about Kellie. She broke the rules, and she put herself in danger. Not to mention that she almost gave me a heart attack! She has to get a whipping."

"Well, she doesn't have to get it from us. At least wait until Dad gets home, and let him take care of it. You know that if you give her a spanking, Dad will probably give her another one anyway. Why can't we just be her older brothers for a change? Why do we always have to be hard-noses?"

Kellie let out an exasperated sigh, "Guys, I'm standing right here, you know! Talk to me; not about me! I'm not lying; there really was a girl!"

Dean stopped and looked at his little sister, who stood beside him with her hands on her hips glaring defiantly at him. He couldn't help but wonder when Kellie had become so independent. She was growing up so quickly, and he hadn't even realized it. He finally said, "Ok, Kellie, I believe you, I do. But you broke the rules, and you endangered yourself. You know that Dad will never give you a pass on that, but I guess that we can wait until he comes back home. You have to tell him though, because he needs to check it out and see what we are dealing with here."

"Yes, Dean. I will. I promise," said Kellie earnestly.

"Now, we need to go down to the field and see if we can find any clues of our own. Come on you two."

The Winchesters spent the next hour searching the field and following Kellie's path through the woods and to the river. Even though they searched carefully, they found no sign of the little girl that Kellie had followed. Kellie looked at her brothers as she said, "I did see her! I really did! I promise that I'm not making it up. Please believe me."

"We believe you, Kellie. There's just no sign of her anywhere. There's just something not right about this. Let's go back to the cabin, and you can write down everything that you can remember. When Dad gets back, you know he's going to ask you questions about it all, and having it written down will help you remember all of the details. I wish we could have found some type of evidence to help you discover what was happening, but no such luck. If you see her again, you get one of us; don't you follow her again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dean."

While Dean and Sam returned to repairing the roof, Kellie walked inside the cabin looking for some paper and a pencil to write down her memories. She tried desperately to remember every little detail about the girl and what she had said. She had said that she was lonely and afraid, and that she wanted someone to play with her. Kellie wondered why she was afraid. Could someone be mistreating her, or was there a wild animal around her? When she said that she was lonely, did she mean that she was all alone? Kellie tried to imagine what her life would be like if she were all alone and afraid. She would want someone to come and play with her too. She would want someone to care enough to help her. She wished that she could have done more to help the young girl.

As Kellie continued to write down information, she began to get very sleepy. She had had a very busy and tiring day. She thought to herself that she would lie on the couch for just a few minutes and rest for a while. She stretched out trying to get comfortable on the lumpy couch and listened as Dean and Sam bantered back and forth above her head on the roof. Hearing her brothers and getting warm on the couch helped Kellie relax, and she soon drifted off to sleep. She rested peacefully on the couch and dreamed of her family travelling down the road singing and laughing.

As Kellie continued to sleep her dreams turned darker and an overwhelming fear came into them. In the dream, she was walking down a long, dark hallway. The hall looked very familiar, and she looked around to determine her location. It looked very much like a school, and as Kellie continued down the hallway, she realized that it was Dean's high school. She had gone in the school with him recently as he had to retrieve a textbook that he had forgotten in his locker.

Suddenly, Kellie dreamed that she heard a far-away voice yelling. She stopped and listened carefully. It sounded like Dean's voice, but she could tell that he was crying. She tried to run toward the pleas, but it was as if she were running in slow motion. Dean's voice kept getting louder, and Kellie began to understand what he was saying through his tears.

"Help! Help me! I'm all alone! I am so afraid, please come help me. Please! Dad! Sam! Kellie! Where are you? I'm scared!"

In Kellie's dream, she finally arrived at the end of the long hallway. She could tell that Dean's voice was coming from the hall to the right. She turned toward the cries, and there she saw him. Dean was strung up in the middle of the hallway. There were ropes and chains tied to each of his arms and legs, and there was a thick cuff around his neck. He looked like a fly caught in a spider web. He was trembling and jerking, and Kellie noticed that there was blood on his shirt and pants. She ran to him as quickly as she could, but it seemed that he just got further away from her the faster that she ran. He finally saw her, and he looked her squarely in the eyes. With fear and pleading, he said, "Kellie! Please! Please help me! I'm so scared. Don't leave me. Help me!"

As Kellie jerked from her nightmare, she felt her body tremble. She was covered in sweat, and she felt a paralyzing fear. She felt like an evil presence was surrounding her. She thought she saw a swift movement in her peripheral vision, and she turned her head to the right. There she was; the little girl. Standing in the Winchesters kitchen wearing her yellow dress. As Kellie began to speak, the little girl said, "Help! Help me! I'm all alone! I am so afraid, please come help me! Please! I'm scared. Don't leave me. Please come with me."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** **I'm so sorry that it is taking me so long to update. I am a full-time wife, mother of three, and an elementary school teacher. I just don't have the same amount of time to devote to writing now that school is in session. I hope my updates are worth the wait. I want my chapters to be well-written and interesting.**

 **Also, thank you to all of you who have sent personal messages inquiring about my status and story development. It really encourages me to get back to my computer and write. I hope you continue to enjoy my story, and keep sending those reviews and words of encouragement.**

Chapter 16

"Little Girl, I can't come with you. I will get in so much trouble, but I want to help you. Let me call my brothers, Sam and Dean. They will know what to do. My name is Kellie; what's your name?"

The little girl just continued to stare at Kellie. Finally, she repeated, "Help me! I'm all alone! I am so afraid, please come help me! Please! I'm scared! Don't leave me. Please come with me."

"I told you that I can't come with you, but I won't leave you alone. I promise. Let me get my brothers."

"Help me! I'm all alone! I am so afraid, please come help me! Please! I'm scared! Don't leave me. Please come with me."

"Wait right here. I'll be right back", said Kellie as she began turning toward the door. She ran outside and began calling for Dean and Sam.

"Sam! Dean! Come quick! She's here! The girl in the yellow dress is here in our kitchen!"

Sam and Dean scrambled down the ladder as quickly as possible. "What? Kellie, did you say that she's in the kitchen?" asked Dean.

"Yes. Come quickly!"

The Winchesters ran quickly in the front door. However, once they arrived, there was no one there.

"Where did she go? Hello, Little Girl?" Kellie ran all around the cabin looking for the missing child. "She was here, Dean. I swear that she was! She was standing in the kitchen asking me to come with her. I'm telling you the truth."

Dean looked at Kellie intently. Finally, he said, "I know that you are, Sweetie. I don't think you would lie about something like this. However, I think we need to call Dad about this."

"Dean, do you have to? He'll be so mad! He's expects better of me."

"You're right. He does expect better of you and so do we. You should never have followed this girl, whoever she is, in the first place. Who knows the trouble that she may end up causing us, but dad will be even angrier if we don't let him know what's happening."

"I know. I'm sorry, Dean. Please don't be mad at me too." A small tear began to roll down Kellie's face.

Dean hated to see his sister cry. He squatted in front of her and put his arm around her waist. "Honey, I'm not mad at you. I'm just concerned about what is happening. Please don't cry."

"Ok, Dean. Are you sure that you're not mad?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. How could I ever be mad at you?"

Dean looked at Sam and said, "I think we've got to call dad, don't you?"

"Probably. He's not going to be happy that we are interrupting his case, but I think he will be unhappier if we don't. I don't think we really have a choice."

All three kids looked worriedly at each other and then nodded their heads. They swallowed deeply, and then Dean took out his cell phone and began to make the call to their dad. Finally John Winchester answered.

"Hello, Dean. What's wrong?"

"Hey, Dad. There's nothing really wrong, but there is something going on that I thought you needed to know about."

"Dean, this better be important."

"Yes, Sir. I think that it is. You see, Kellie saw this girl earlier this morning."

"Dean, you're calling me about a little girl? Really?"

"Yes, Sir. Well, Kellie has seen her twice, but she keeps disappearing."

"What do you mean, disappearing?"

"Well, Sam and I have yet to see her. Every time we get near she isn't there."

"Dean, are you sure that Kellie is telling you the truth? It sounds like a child's imagination to me."

"Yes, Sir. I'm pretty sure that she's telling the truth. She knew that you were going to be mad at her, but she agreed that we needed to call you."

"Why would I be mad at her?"

"Well, she followed this girl out of the yard and down to the river. She tried to cross the river and almost drowned. Sam and I found her just in time."

"Dean! Where were you and Sam in the first place? You know that she's your responsibility when I'm on a job!"

"Yes, Sir. I know, but we were trying to fix the roof. We thought she was playing in the back yard." Dean displayed a grimace on his face as he looked at his brother and sister.

"Let me talk to her! Now!"

"Yes, Sir. She's right here." Dean handed the phone to Kellie.

"Hello, Daddy," said Kellie nervously.

"Kellie Anne Winchester! What were you thinking?"

"I don't know, but Daddy, she seemed so lost and scared. I'm so sorry. I just wanted to help her. Please don't be mad, Daddy. Please, don't be mad."

"Are you telling your brothers the absolute truth? Did you really see this girl and then she disappears?"

"Yes, Sir. This morning I followed her to the river, and then she went across. I tried to follow her, but I slipped on the rock and fell. When I looked for her to come and help me she was gone. Then this afternoon, I woke up from a bad dream, and she was staring at me from the kitchen. I told her I was going to get Dean and Sam to help her, but when I came back inside with them, she was gone again. Daddy, I swear, I'm telling the truth."

"Ok, Kellie, I believe you. We have quite a bit to talk about when I get home. You are not to leave the house without Dean or Sam until I get home. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir, I understand. Daddy, I'm really sorry."

"I know you are. We'll deal with all of that later. I love you, Kellie."

"I love you too, Daddy."

"Ok, let me talk to Dean."

"Yes, Sir." Kellie handed the phone to Dean. She walked slowly toward the house knowing that she had really disappointed her dad. She heard Dean say, "Yes, Sir. I understand. Yes, Sir. We will. Ok, we'll see you tonight, Dad. Yes, Sir. Drive safely. Bye."

Kellie ran into the house and up to the loft. She lay on her mat and buried her face in her arms. She knew that she had caused all kinds of trouble, and now her dad had to leave a job. That meant that someone may die because her dad wouldn't be there to save them. She knew that her brothers may get in trouble too because of her carelessness and disobedience. "I'm so stupid" she thought. "They'd be better off without me."

Before she even realized what she was doing, Kellie had packed a small bag with some clothes and a few snacks. She slowly eased out of the back door and across the field she ran.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Just as Kellie crested the top of the hill, Dean happened to look up from his perch on the roof. He cursed under his breath and yelled, "Sammy, Quick! She's on the run!" The boys quickly jumped from the roof where they were repairing the shingles and landed lightly on their toes. They took off after Kellie as fast as they could run. She had a huge lead on them, but their long and powerful legs quickly caught up with her. She suddenly felt herself being pulled from behind and then three sharp slaps reached her bottom. Then, she was placed on the ground and two very angry brothers were staring down at her.

"What in the world are you thinking, Kellie Anne?" yelled Dean. "Haven't you caused enough trouble today? Now you are going to make it worse by running away? I swear, you must have marbles for brains! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Kellie just continued to stare at her feet. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and she was winded from the run. Her bottom stung from the smacks that Dean had given her, and she didn't want to speak to him at the moment. She was currently wallowing in self-pity, and she intended to stay there. In her eyes, life was so unfair. She had three people that were constantly watching every little move that she made, and they were extremely critical of her actions. She was always getting her butt smacked for some incident or another, and she was tired of it. Finally, she lifted her face and stared straight into Dean's green eyes and yelled at the top of her lungs, "What do you care? It's none of your business! Why don't you just back-off and leave me alone!"

Dean glared back at his little sister. He couldn't believe that she had just yelled at him like that. He moved forward into her personal space and in his lowest, most authoritative voice, he said, "Excuse me? What did you just say to me? Surely, I didn't hear you use that tone of voice with me! You really are asking for trouble."

"Yeah, you heard me right. You're not my father, and I don't care what you think! Why don't you just mind your own business?"

Dean quickly pulled Kellie to his side and yanked her across his leg and began to apply hard smacks to her rear. As he spanked her, he lectured her as well. "Don't you ever talk to me like that again! I am your brother, and you are my responsibility! Who do you think Dad will take it out on if you get lost or hurt? Me, that's who. You are my business, and everything you do is my business!"

Dean continued to spank as Kellie kicked and screamed. She pounded on his back and called him hateful names. Finally, when the fire in her bottom became too intense, she broke down and cried like a baby. She quit kicking and hitting and just sobbed. Finally, Dean set her down on the ground and kneeled in front of her. He reached up and tried to wipe away the tears that were still rolling down her cheeks. He rubbed his hand down her hair and patted her on the back and finally he pulled her into a warm hug. Finally, he said, "Now, do you think that you can talk to me like you're supposed to?"

Kellie nodded her head against his shoulder as she continued to sniff and snuff. Finally, in a quavering voice, she said, "I'm sorry, Dean. I don't know what happened to me. I was sitting in the loft, and I just felt like that I had caused so much trouble. I thought you would all be better off without me, and so I decided to run away. I just seem to be making all of the wrong choices the last few days."

"You have not made good choices, and I'm sure that Dad is going to have plenty to say about it. Didn't he just tell you to stay inside unless you were with me or Sam?"

"Yes."

"Wow! I would hate to be you tonight. You're either really crazy or really brave to disobey what Dad just told you. Of course, I could say the same thing about talking to me like you did. I think you better get inside the house, now! You don't want to be out here when Dad gets home."

"Yes, Dean. I really am sorry."

"Don't let it happen again, Peanut. Now get on inside the house on the double."

"Yes, Dean."

Dean and Sam watched Kellie as she walked toward the house. Occasionally, she would reach her hand back to rub the sting out of her backside, but she walked straight inside without wavering. Sam looked at Dean and said, "What do you make of that? She's not even acting like the same girl as our sister. I've never heard her talk to you like that before, and to directly disobey an order given to her by dad is not like Kellie at all. I'm worried, Dean."

"Yeah, me too. Something's up, that's for sure. I'm not sure what, but I know it all started when she saw that girl in the yellow dress for the first time. She began disobeying orders then, and the smart mouth began about then too. I don't want her to get in more trouble, but I think we have to talk to Dad about what we've seen."

Dad rolled down the driveway about an hour later. The boys could tell by the look on his face that he was exhausted. He had probably driven at break-neck speed to get back home as quickly as he could, and who knew how long it had been since he had gotten a full night's sleep. He crawled slowly out of the truck and said in that quiet drawl of his, "Hey, Boys. It's good to see you. Where's your sister?"

"She's inside, Dad. Before you go talk to her, we need to tell you some things."

Dean and Sam explained all that had happened while he was away, sharing their concern about the insubordinate and disrespectful behavior of their sister. Their dad listened carefully, all the while rubbing his face with his hands. It was obvious that he was very concerned about this behavior from his baby girl. The boys had been a handful, but Kellie had always obeyed without question. He was sure that there was something going on here that he needed to get to the bottom of. Now it seemed that he had two children with a target on their backs. He needed some time to figure what was going on with his children in this town, but how much time did he have?


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Dad and the boys continued to talk outside for awhile as John told them all about his latest hunt. He carefully explained about this monster called a rugaru, and how he had to lure him out of his cave and use a blow torch to burn him to death. It all sounded so grizzly, but very few monster hunts ended any other way. There had been five people killed before he was able to catch the rugaru, and one of them had been a young boy of ten. Dad was always distraught when he returned from a hunt where a child was involved, and this time was no exception. He ran his hand through his uncombed hair, before he said, "Boys, I had no idea this world held such terrible things before your mother died. I swear that I am going to rid this world of these monsters, or die trying. The things that I've seen just turn my stomach. Boys, I'm so tired, but I have to keep on going for your mom."

Dean knew that when his dad got like this that he needed to step up and carry the burden for the family. His dad was aching so deep that Dean was afraid that his heart would break. However, he also knew that sometimes John would get more irritated than usual, and the least little thing would make him angry. An angry John was not a good thing. His quiet voice would quickly rise in volume and be replaced by his Marine Drill Sergeant voice, and he was much quicker to lay down the law or the belt. He wasn't exactly abusive, but a John Winchester whipping wasn't easy to endure on a good day. When Dean recognized these signs, he tried to keep Sam and Kellie out of the way and quiet, and he tried to do as many of the chores and household responsibilities as possible. Realizing that dad was heading in that direction, Dean was concerned that he may not be able to control his temper when he was dealing with Kellie. He sidled over to John's side and quietly said, "Dad, I know you're upset with Kellie, but I did spank her pretty hard earlier. Don't you think you could just scold her or something?"

Dad turned and looked at Dean with that penetrating gaze that all of his children knew so well. Dean knew that it would be best if he backed down now before it went any further, but he also knew that Kellie was depending on him to run interference with their dad before he came to visit her. Dean continued, "You know, Dad, I think she must be under some kind of hinky magic or something. She's not acting like herself, and you know you wouldn't want to punish her for something that she couldn't control." Dean couldn't help but take a gulp as he stood there waiting for his dad's answer.

"Dean, I know what you are doing, and you can stop it right there. I'm well aware that Kellie is not acting like herself, and I have considered the possibility that she could be under some kind of spell or magic. I also know you are trying to protect your sister from the whipping that you and I both know she probably has coming. Dean, I've told you before that I don't like you interfering when I'm dealing with your brother or sister. It's fine when I'm not here, and you are the sole authority figure, but when I'm here, I'm the boss. Got it, Big Guy?"

"Yes, Sir. Got it." replied Dean. He should have known that his dad would know exactly what he was trying to do, but he felt like he owed it to his sister to try. He was the older brother, and it was his job to take care of Sammy and Kellie. But he wasn't stupid either, and when Dad said it was time to back off, he knew that he better follow the order.

Dad turned and brought Sam back into the conversation. "Now, Boys, I've got some business to take care of with your sister. How about you take a walk for a little while, and give me and Kellie some time to get to the bottom of this situation."

"Yes, Sir," they both answered. Then Dean piped up, "Uh, Dad? Would it be okay if Sammy and I took a trip to town and blew off a little steam?"

John looked at them seriously for a moment, considering the possibility, and then said, "Yea. That will be fine. Just remember to stay off of the radar, and be home by eleven.

"Yes, Sir!" they said, while running toward the Impala with large smiles on their faces.

John just shook his head and grinned as he watched them peel off down the dirt road. He felt that pang of guilt once again that his children didn't get to live more normal lives. He hated that they were always on such a short leash, but there was nothing he could do differently if he didn't want their very lives put in danger. They lived the life of the hunter, and with that life came imminent danger. He only wished that he could have provided something better for them, but that was not meant to be. Now, he had one young girl to deal with, and this was going to be harder than the boys ever were. He had always been able to just gruffly put the boys in their place with his deep bellowing voice or a few well-placed smacks on their rear, but Kellie was different. She hardly ever got in trouble in the first place, and when she did, he had to deal with huge tears rolling down her face, and that small, timid voice quavering as she said, "I'm sorry, Daddy. Please don't spank me." He just found it very difficult to be as hard-nosed with his daughter. She also reminded him so much of his precious Mary, but he also knew that her life was in just as much danger as the boys', maybe even more. Therefore, he had to be just as consistent with her for her own protection. Then, John slowly walked his way up the few rotting steps and into the front screen door to face his waiting daughter.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

John walked slowly into the house and across the wooden floor toward the kitchen. He found his over-sized porcelain mug and poured himself a cup of hot coffee. He dropped into the reclining chair and slowly drank the steaming liquid. He was so tired; he just wanted to kick up his feet and snuggle into the soft warmness of the chair, but he knew that there was much to be done before he could rest. The first item of business was his daughter's behavior. He wasn't sure how he should handle this or what he should do. He knew that normally this type of behavior would warrant a good old-fashioned tanning with his well-worn belt, but he also realized that this was not Kellie's typical behavior. He knew that Dean was correct when he said that Kellie could be under some type of spell, but what could that be? He took out his journal and began to look for answers to the problem. He had been searching for several minutes when he was reminded why they were here in this cabin to begin with-the _croquemitaine!_

John was somewhat confused though because if it was the boogey man who was effecting Kellie, the monster was not staying true to protocol. As far as anyone was aware, it only preyed on boys who misbehaved in school. No reports had ever claimed girls as victims of the _croquemitaine_ , but that didn't mean it couldn't change or that some girls may have been the prey and gone unreported. John knew that he needed to look at all sides of this situation and investigate the circumstances completely before making a decision about Kellie. He would need to begin his inquiry immediately by talking to his daughter.

John knew that Kellie could hear him from the loft, but she was keeping quiet in expectation of the coming punishment. He spoke quietly to her from his chair, "Kellie, I need you to come down and talk to me, please."

He instantly heard the answer that he fully expected, "Yes, Daddy." He could hear the quaver in her voice, and he knew that she was hesitant to approach him. He hated when he had to discipline his children because of the fear that he saw in their eyes. He wished he had the luxury of ignoring some of the minor indiscretions of his children, but he knew that could be detrimental to them in the future, and so he determinedly pressed forward.

"Baby, I need you to come stand right here beside me," said John in a firm but gentle voice. He watched as she shyly sidled up beside him with downcast eyes. "Honey, would you please tell me everything that has happened since I've been gone, but Kellie, I need you to look at me while you're talking to me."

Kellie slowly lifted her eyes and looked into her father's face and eyes. She was afraid of the disappointment that she knew that she would see in them, but she also saw love and compassion. She proceeded to tell him all about the little girl in the yellow dress, and falling into the river, and the dreams, and running away, and finally about the spanking that she received from Dean. When she had told him everything, she looked at John and said, "Daddy, I'm sorry. I know that I did wrong, and that I'm in big trouble. I don't know why I kept doing the wrong thing; it felt like something just kept pulling me in that direction. That little girl looked so sad and she kept begging me to come play with her. I wish I had never seen her in that field!"

John contemplated his next move, and he finally decided to tell Kellie just what he suspected. "Kellie, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I have a suspicion that what you saw may be the monster that we are hunting. I'm not sure because we are not aware of any girls that it has targeted before, but your actions seem very suspicious. It is very unlike your natural behavior to be so disobedient and disrespectful. I'm not saying that you don't ever do anything wrong, but these outbursts the last few days seem very different and out of character for you. Also, the fact that you dreamed about Dean being in the web of the monster makes me predict that you are somehow related to this whole investigation. Maybe, the boogey man has figured out that he can't get Dean, but has placed his eyes upon you instead knowing that you are more vulnerable and less experienced.

"Kellie, I want you to promise me that you will be extra careful until we catch this ungodly creature. I don't want you leaving the house without one of your brothers with you. If you have any further dreams or see the girl again, you let me know right away. I'm not leaving New Orleans until we catch this thing. I won't have it tempting my children while I'm somewhere else saving other people. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir. Daddy, does that mean you are not going to punish me?"

"Well, I've been thinking a lot about that, Kellie. Even though I believe that you have been targeted by this monster, you still have free will. You are still responsible for your actions and for allowing it to influence your choices and behaviors. You should never allow something to turn you against your family and those that care about you. To help you remember these important lessons, I have decided that you are going to get punished for your behavior. I know that you are just a young girl, but you are a daughter of a hunter and therefore, at greater risk. I have tried to teach you the importance of chain of command and complete obedience to commands. Those are some of the ways that I have tried to keep you safe in this world in which we live. You totally disregarded all that you have been taught and set yourself in harm's way. You know that I will never allow you to put yourself in danger without consequences, and today's punishment will solidify that in your mind.

"Kellie, I want you to lay across the arm of this chair." Daddy stood up and made sure that Kellie was positioned correctly. Then, he slid his belt through the loops of his jeans, and folded it, carefully making sure that the buckle was secured firmly in his hand. Kellie already had tears sliding down her cheeks before the first smack ever sounded. John firmly applied ten strokes of the belt across Kellie's upturned rear. It was not the hardest spanking that she had ever received, nor was it the longest, but it was enough to place a reminding fire in Kellie's backside. John assumed correctly that it would be a long time before Kellie would be so defiant or disrespectful again.

When John was finished with the unpleasant task, he slid his belt back through the loops and closed the buckle. He picked up Kellie and sat back down snuggling her in the crook of his arms. He gently kissed her forehead and shushed her sniffling as she regained control of her emotions. He began talking to her softly while she rested against his broad chest. "You're Daddy's little girl, and I love you more than the whole world. I'll die trying to keep you safe, but I need you to be wise beyond your years. I couldn't bear to lose you, Sweetheart. Please promise me that you'll be careful."

Kellie continued to sniffle, but she nodded her head up and down against her daddy's flannel shirt. She quietly answered, "I will, Daddy. I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Daddy."

John squeezed her a little tighter and said, "Baby, I forgave you when I was driving down that road trying to get here as quickly as I could. All I'm concerned with is that you learn the lesson that I'm trying to teach you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, Daddy. I won't ever follow that girl again, and I will always let you, or Dean, or Sam know whenever I feel scared. Oh, and I won't ever talk ugly to Dean no more either because he spanked my butt hard. Well, not as hard as you, but I won't do it again." Then she ended with a big yawn.

Daddy stood Kellie to her feet and said, "Someone looks very sleepy. You need to head on upstairs and get ready for bed. You've had a long day, and I bet you'll sleep good tonight."

"Ok, Daddy. Even if I do have to sleep on my stomach, I am tired. Good night, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Baby."

"OH, and Daddy? I love you." Then she ran back from the foot of the ladder and squeezed John around the waist.

John could feel the tears as they welled up in his eyes. "I love you too, Baby."

As Kellie made her way up the ladder to the loft, John once again sat down in his recliner. At least that was one thing taken care of. He had just gotten his feet up, and he had snuggled into the chair when the phone rang. He sighed deeply, got up slowly, and answered the phone, "Hello."

"Dad, It's Dean. Me and Sammy need your help!"


End file.
